Meet the pudu, world’s smallest deer, barely four apples tall
The pudu, recognized as the world's smallest deer, is a South American species found in high-elevation Andean forests and temperate southern regions. These small mammals are adapted to dense undergrowth and are categorized into northern and southern species.
Why it matters
Understanding the habitat and biology of unique, small-scale species is essential for biodiversity preservation and ecological research.
This animal in photos may look more like a small forest mammal, more like a rabbit than a deer, but it is a real member of the deer family. It is a ‘pudu,’ a group of two deer species found in South America and known for their exceptionally small size. The northern pudu (Pudu mephistophiles) can stand only about 32 to 35 cm at the shoulder and weigh roughly 3.3 to 6 kg. That makes the “four apples tall” description a striking visual way to understand its size, although the exact height of four apples naturally varies with the size of the apples.
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