TABLE OF CONTENTS - National Zoo

PUDU
(Pudu puda)
Herbivore
Description: Pudus are the world’s smallest deer species. The hairs of the coat are
long, coarse and brittle. The general coloration of the pudu ranges from rufous to
dark brown or gray. The legs and feet are generally tawny. The male pudus have
short spike antlers, which, like all deer, they shed annually and then sprout anew.
Teeth: Deer species have no upper incisors and three pairs of lower incisors. They
have 0-1 pair of canines in both jaws. They have three pairs of premolars and molars
in both the upper and lower jaws, for a total of 32-34 teeth. The surfaces of their
molars have a smooth texture.
Diet: Pudus eat fruit that has fallen from trees, along with herbs, and juicy shoots.
The preferred food seems to consist of ferns, vines, shrubs, and the foliage of small
trees. Pudus generally seek their food as they slowly move along, nibbling on a leaf
here and on a fruit there, then on a tender twig and sometimes grazing on the
ground. Pudus can survive for a long time without drinking water.
Range: The Southern pudu exists today only in the rainforests of the temperate
zone of Chile and Argentina. As with most South American deer, the life of these
animals in the wild has barely been explored; because of their small size, secretive
habits and the inaccessibility of their habitat, hardly anyone has observed pudus. At
one time, they were widespread in the foothills, valleys, and lowlands of the Andes.
Habitat: The habitat of the southern pudu is characterized by a mild, wet winter and
a short, dry summer. It lives in the deciduous forests, some of which are evergreen,
from sea level up to an elevation of about 3 km (9600 ft). They prefer the dark,
dripping wet underbrush of the rainforest, especially bamboo groves. The luxuriant
foliage provides them not only with food, but also with protection and the possibility
of hiding from predators like the puma.
Social Organization: Little is known about the social organization of pudus in the
wild. They appear to live in small groups.
Conservation Status: In recent years, the destruction of their habitat, the
competition of the roe deer and fallow deer that were introduced from Europe, and
the forays of feral domestic dogs have substantially reduced the distribution and
number of the pudus.
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