DESCRIPTION 



The smallest race of North American deer, the 

 adult key deer is 63 to 76 cm high at the shoulder 

 with an average weight of 36 kg for males and 29 

 kg for females. The body is stockier, the legs 

 shorter, and the skull wider than other races of 

 white-tailed deer. The coat varies from a deep red- 

 dish brown to a grizzled gray color. Bucks usually 

 develop antlers by their second year, and eight 

 points by the fifth year (Klimstra 1979). 



RANGE 



The key deer's range is restricted to the 

 islands of the lower Florida Keys: Annette, Big 

 Munson, Big Pine, Big Torch, Cudjoe, Howe, 

 Johnson,Knockemdown, Little Pine, Little Torch. 

 Mayo, Middle Torch, No Name, Porpoise, Ram- 

 rod, Sugarloaf, Summerland, Toptree Hammock, 

 Wahoo, and Water Key (Dickson 1955, Klimstra 

 et al. 1974). The deer are resident only on keys 

 with permanent freshwater: Big Pine, Big Torch, 

 Cudjoe, Howe, Little Pine, Litde Torch, Middle 

 Torch, No Name, Sugarloaf, and Summerland 

 Keys. 



RANGE MAP 



Present distribution is indicated by shading on 

 the following page. 



STATES/COUNTIES 



Florida: Monroe 



HABITAT 



Only islands having permanent freshwater 

 are used consistently by key deer. Other islands 

 are used temporarily during the rainy season 

 (Klimstra 1979). Big Pine Key (2,428 ha) and No 

 Name Key (404 ha) support the largest deer pop- 

 ulation. Both have permanent freshwater and ex- 

 tensive pineland habitat. Klimstra et al. (1974) 

 noted use of five habitat types in descending or- 

 der of preference: pinelands, hardwood hammock, 

 buttonwood-scrub mangrove, mangrove swamp, 

 and developed areas. Habitat selection varies with 

 season, time of day, and sex and age of the ani- 

 mal. Pinelands, hardwood hammocks, recent 

 clearings, roadsides, and grassy areas are used for 

 feeding. Hammocks and mangrove swamps are 

 used for cool retreats during the day (Klimstra 

 1979). 



The pineland community on Big Pine Key is 

 open as a result of fire, with abundant plant spe- 

 cies including Dade County Pine {Pinus elliottii 



var. densa), silver palm {Coccothrinax argentata), 

 stopper {Myrtus verrucosa), devil's claw (Pisonia 

 rotundata), and grasses. 



Dominant species in the hammocks include 

 Spanish stopper {Eugenia foetida), maiden 

 bush {Savia bahamensis), poisonwood {Metopium 

 toxiferum), white indigo berry (Randia aculeata), 

 and darling plum (Reynosia septentrionalis). 



FOOD AND FORAGING BEHAVIOR 



Red mangrove {Rhizophora mangle) is an im- 

 portant food source, with 63% occurrence in pel- 

 let analysis (Dickson 1955). Klimstra et al. (1974) 

 list the following food plants: joeweed {Jacquinia 

 keyensis); white indigo berry; devil's claw; poison 

 ivy {Toxicodendron radicans); morinda {Morinda 

 royoc); catbrier {Smilax havanensis); blolly {Pi- 

 sonia discolor); ground cherry {Phy sails augusti- 

 folia); blazing star {Liatris tenuifolia);hegg,articks 

 {Bidens pilosa); capweed {Lippia nodiflora); 

 hempvine {Mikania batatifolia); false foxglove 

 {Agalinis spp.); borreria {Borreria); snowberry 

 {Chiococca pinetorum); saffron plum {Bumelia 

 celastrina); Christmas berry {Crossopetalum ilici- 

 folium); nightshade {Solanum blodgettii); vine 

 milkweed {Cynancfium blodgettii); white vine 

 {Sarcostemma clausa); mallow {Eustoma exalta- 

 tum); and saw palmetto {Serenoa repens). Dick- 

 son (1955) adds silver palm, acacia {Acacia pine- 

 torum), wild dilly {Manilkara bahamensis), and 

 brittle thatch palm {Thrinax microcarpa). 



Klimstra et al. (1974) determined caloric 

 values of food plants used by key deer and noted 

 that many are equivalent in energy content to 

 commercial animal feeds, alfalfa, corn, wheat, and 

 barley. 



Food plants change seasonally, probably re- 

 flecting availability and nutritional needs (Klim- 

 stra et al. 1974). Some plants are regularly 

 browsed, resulting in stunting and near-extirpa- 

 tion. Following fire in the pinelands, new growth 

 immediately attracted deer and extensive brows- 

 ing occurred for 6 to 9 months. 



Virtually no plant species is immune from 

 deer use at one time or another (Klimstra et al. 

 1974). 



SHELTER REQUIREMENTS 



Open areas and subdivisions are favored bed- 

 ding sites at night, and mangrove swamps provide 

 cool retreats during the day (Klimstra 1979). 



NESTING OR BEDDING 



Not known. 



