The Pudu is the world’s smallest deer species, and the Queens Zoo baby Pudu is giving Bambi some competition when it comes to cute, darling, and any other adoring words that might pop out of people’s mouths on seeing him for the first time.
The Wildlife Conservation Society announced that on May 12 a male southern Pudu fawn was born at the Queens Zoo. The little fellow was only six inches long and six inches tall when he was born, and weighed in at an astounding one pound.
The fawn will lose his spots when he gets older, just like his older cousins. When full grown, he will be about 12 to 14 inches at the shoulder, and still be in the running for “cuteness.” In a trade for his camouflage spots, he will get a little set of curved antlers.
Pudu deer are excellent hiders, and are able to easily avoid predators in their South American rainforest habitat by disappearing into the thick brush. The little deer are excellent jumpers, too, and move fairly fast, emitting a sharp bark when faced with a threat. But some scientists say it is doubtful their bark, actually more of a cute little squeak, frightens away many predators.
The fawn in the video above was only five days old when it was filmed. She was born a few years ago at the Detroit Zoo.
