Meet the magical pudu – the tiniest and cutest deer in the world

These tiny deer are roughly the size of a domestic dog and are the world’s tiniest deer species.

The pudu comes in two varieties, both of which are found in South America.

Argentina and Chile are home to the southern pudu, while Peru, Venezuela, Ecuador, and Colombia are home to the northern pudu.

They’re just about 12 to 16 inches tall.

Pudus, like most other grazing animals, are vegetarians who eat leaves, grass, seeds, and fallen fruit.

They can either stand on their back legs to reach foliage or, unlike their larger deer cousins, they can even climb trees when necessary.

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.

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