Deer at the Mini Zoo

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19 June, 2012
Nature, Animals

Yesterday we were talking about the owls at the Mini Zoo and today I have a new story about the deer.

Here are some interesting facts:

There are about 100 types of deer. They can be found all around the world. Deer are native to all continents except for Australia and Antarctica.
Deer are the only animals that have antlers. They are the fastest growing living tissue on earth. Antlers are usually only found on males. Antlers grow from spring until fall. While growing, antlers are covered with a soft and very sensitive tissue known as velvet. In the fall, the velvet is shed and the antlers harden. Antlers should not be confused with horns. Horns are never shed and continue to grow throughout the animal's life.
Deer have a great sense of hearing. They have a lot of muscles attached to their ears which allow them to turn their ears in any direction, without moving their heads. They can hear higher frequencies of sound than humans.
Deer have their eyes on the sides of their head, giving them a 310 degree view. This wide view does make it hard for deer to focus on a single point. Deer have a good night vision, which is useful in the early morning and near dusk.
Deer have an excellent sense of smell, which allows them to detect predators from a long distance away. Deer lick their nose to keep it moist, which helps odor particles stick to it, improving their sense of smell.
Fawns are protected by a lack of scent. Enemies cannot smell them. Fawns are able to stand and walk shortly after birth. The mother keeps them hidden in bushes and checks up on them about 6 times a day to feed them.
Deer have a four-chambered stomach. They start eating in the morning. They hardly chew their food which goes into the first stomach. While they rest, the food will move to the second stomach and form little balls. Now the food is brought back to the mouth and chewed. This chewed food goes into the third and fourth stomachs.

Sika deer mom