These little guys are about the size of a domestic dog and are the smallest species of deer in the world.
There are two species of the pudu and they all reside in South America.
The southern pudu is native to Argentina and Chile, and the northern pudu to Peru, Venezuela, Ecuador, and Colombia.
They only stand between 12 to 16 inches tall.
Pudus are vegetarian like most other grazing animals, living on a diet of leaves, grass, seeds, and fallen fruit.
To reach foliage, they can either stand on their back legs or unlike their larger deer cousins, they can even climb trees when needed.
Pudus are cautious animals and are often on red alert for any predators. When they do get chased, they run in a zigzag, making them harder to catch by larger predators.
They are also great at climbing and jumping when need be.
These solitary animals can be found in the dense South American forests, where they develop a complex system of paths to help them navigate the forest’s undergrowth.
Pudus will only be seen together when mating, often in the fall, before giving birth to one or two of their fawn in springtime.
Similar to their bigger deer cousins, male pudus are characterized by their antlers.
Their lifespan is usually between 8 to 10 years, although this is at risk due to many external factors such as loss of habitat, as well as diseases and parasites contracted from domestic dogs.
