Key Deer Fact Sheet: Habitat, Threats, and Conservation Strategies

This report is a comprehensive fact sheet on the Key Deer, the smallest deer species in Florida, and an endangered species. It details the deer's physical characteristics, diet, and habitat, which is primarily in the Florida Keys. The fact sheet outlines the threats to the Key Deer population, including road accidents, habitat loss due to development, and the screwworm infection. It also highlights the ways to help conserve the species, such as driving slowly in key deer areas, avoiding feeding them, and reporting any injured or infected deer to the Key Deer Refuge Center. The report underscores the importance of public awareness and responsible behavior to protect this vulnerable species. The fact sheet includes information on the deer's diet, population, nesting behavior, and habitat location.

KEY DEER FACT SHEET
The Key Deer: It is the tiniest species among all the deer that live in
Florida. They live in the Florida keys as their forename. They come
from the same family of Virginia white-tailed deer. However, the key
deer tail is typically reddish-brown in color. The male deer grow their
antlers and their body weights approximately about 56 pounds. On the
other hand, female deer weights slightly less compared to the male
deer. On typical, the height of the deer is approximately 24 to 34
inches. The main diet of key deer is indigenous plants that typically
comprises of black mangrove, red mangroves as well as white
mangroves. They can consume water with the availability of salts;
however, they need fresh water to endure. They also eat thatch palm
trees. The population of key deer is very much limited as each year,
and there is a loss of around 5-15 percent of the total population. The
reproduction season usually takes place during the early winter.
Pregnancy is approximately seven months otherwise 200 days. Fawns
are usually born between April as well as June. They are little and
weigh around one to four pounds. The male key deer mostly for three
years and on the other hand, female key deer lives double that is
around six years.
LOCATION AND
HABITAT
They typically live in every type of ecosystem originate in
Florida keys. They live around 20-25 islands in the southern
Florida Keys. They used to live in southern Florida keys;
however, they can be typically seen around Sugarloaf Key to
Bahia Honda Key. During the dry season, they can swim and
can swim from keys to keys in search of freshwater.
Their main habitat includes pine
rock lands, freshwater wetlands,
mangroves as well as hardwood
hammocks. Generally, Pine
Rockland is considered to be a
crucial habitant as they can find
fresh drinking water and it easily
available as compared to another
habitant.
The Big pine key is the area,
where most of key deer can be
found.

KEY DEER – ENDANGERED
SPECIES
The first and foremost reason for endangered is that their
population is drastically decreasing and dropping. The
population decrease for multiple reasons, mostly because of
road accidents and climate changes that increases the sea level.
Key deer has become friendly with humans, as human illegally
feed deer. This reason has made key deer lose fear from humans
and often end up in highways. Many deer freezes when they see
headlights of cars and increases the risk of road accidents.
The population of Key deer has decreased initially due to
hunting done by the local tribes as well as the early settlers.
Further, the hunting was banned in 1950s, however the
population was already decreased.
Another reason is the loss of their habitat. Their habitat is continuously shrinking and making them
difficult to live. Many areas in keys have been constructed with highways and multiple other commercial
developments. This factor has drastically led the population to come down.
Infection of screwworm is another factor for decreasing the population of key deer. Infection has
decreased the population up to 10 percent. Mostly around August , the infections spreads among key deer.
WAYS TO HELP
• The first step is to drive slow near the areas where key deer are
mostly found. Road accidents and collisions with vehicles have led
to multiple decreases in the number of population of Florida keys.
Around the Big pine key area, slow down the speed of vehicles,
especially during dawn and dusk. Always keep in mind that key
deer freezes when they see headlights.
• Key deer is a wild animal, and people should keep that in mind.
Feeding them is illegal and illegal feeding leads to certain
consequences. The lose the fear of humans and often comes near
vehicles and humans. It increases road accidents. Besides, they
depend on humans for the supply of food.
• If anyone sees key deer infected or if they need assistance, then
people should report to key deer refugee Centre. The refugee
service are available throughout the day.
• Securing kitchen or household waste. Key deer often found near
trash and that leads Key deer to interact with humans and generate
many risks.