|
This endangered key deer
is
located in my backyard
|
in
The National Key Deer Refuge
30 miles up the road from
Key West, Florida
Nearly 4,000 years ago, deer were isolated from the mainland of Florida when the glaciers melted and the sea levels rose, thereby forming what we know as the Florida Keys."
More than 30 years ago, Florida's . . ."island" Deer was named an endangered species -- as few as 250 of the animals remained. But now that population might have tripled -- in part because of 30 years of protection of the tiny animal (Roel Lopez, Graduate Student, Texas A&M University, Department of Wildlife and Fisheries Sciences, Key Deer Ecology Project)...
they're found only on the islands of the Florida Keys --
"Big Pine and No Name Key are the main emphasis of the herd, because they're the only significant Keys that have standing fresh water on it. And while the deer can withstand brackish water, certainly they prefer fresh water."
"They've adapted to island life, they're able to drink brackish water and they're able to survive where a regular white tailed deer would not."
above information was taken from (http://floridaenvironment.com/programs/fe00306.htm)
The images in the Gallery are a few from my collection of key Deer and other Wildlife located on Big Pine Key, MM 30 in the National Sanctuary
|
Bahia Honda Tree
Florida Keys
SEE MORE KEY DEER IMAGES
see more galleries
by Ken & Sue
at
All Images Copyright by Ken Araujo
All Rights Reserved
to purchase prints or for use please contact Ken Araujo
305-872-3922
you can leave a msg.
Visit Our Sister Site
