KEY DEER Odocoileus virginianus clavium (Barbour and Allen) 



Order: ARTIODACTYLA Family: CERVIDAE 



Distinguishing characteristics : Smallest of the white-tailed deer, under 110 pounds, 

 29 inches at shoulder, small antlers; color — pale. 



Present distribution : Little Pine Key to Cudjoe Key, Monroe County, Florida. 



Former distribution : Most of the southern Florida Keys; readily swims between them. 



Status : Very small range and numbers of animals, but slowly increasing. 



Estimated numbers : About 300 in 1964; about 600 in 1972 . 



Breeding rate in the wild : 1 or 2 fawns per doe annually . 



Reasons for decline: Development and occupation of islands by man; disastrous effects 

 of hurricanes and fires; overhunting with dogs and jacklights. About 9 per year killed 

 by motor vehicles (52 killed on highway during first 10 months of 1971) . Hunting has 

 now been effectively controlled; habitat destruction and road kills are the most critical 

 problems . 



Protective measures already taken : National Key Deer Refuge (established in 1963) 

 consists of about 7,321 acres, of which 3,586 are federally owned and 3,735 were leased 

 as of November 1970. Land acquisition is essentially complete. 



Measures proposed : Protection of habitat from fire or destruction. Continued legal 

 protection with patrols . Allow reliable individuals and zoos to obtain animals for 

 breeding in captivity . 



Number in captivity : Unknown . 



Breeding potential in captivity : Based on breeding results of other white-tailed deer 

 in captivity , the breeding potential of the Key deer should be very good . 



Remarks: In 1949 population was down to about 30 deer. With present protection con- 

 tinued, the Key deer's survival seems promising. 



References : 



Allen, CM. 1942. Extinct and vanishing mammals of the Western Hemisphere. 



American Committee for International Wildlife Protection, Spec. Publ . 11, 



p. 288. 

 Klimstra, W. D., J. Hardin and N. Silva. 1969. Key Ddeer investigations. Annual 



Report 1968-1969. Cooperative Wildlife Research Laboratory, Southern Illinois 



University, Carbondale, Illinois. September 30, 1969. 

 Matthiessen, P. 1959. Wildlife in America . Viking , N .Y ., pp . 65-67 . 

 National Wildlife Federation. 1956. Our endangered wildlife, pp. 11-12. 



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