Virginian (white-tailed) deer - most oftena common subspecies in North America. Among other representatives of the deer species, this is the largest. The animal is very interesting, worth closer acquaintance.
In winter, the virgin deer wearslight gray coat, which by the summer becomes reddish, darker on the back. The main name of the species was due to its bright white at the bottom of the tail. Noticing the danger, the white-tailed deer rushes to run, tail held up. Kindred, noticing the racing white spot, also rush to their heels.
The change of horns, which are worn only by males, occurs after the mating season. Beautiful, in the form of a crescent, horns have several processes - an average of 6-7.
The size of the deer is different - depends on the subspecies.
Males grazing in the very north grow to1-1.1 meters at the withers and weighs up to 150 kg. Females are slightly smaller and slightly lighter. Animals remaining in the southern parts of the mainland are noticeably smaller. On some islands, there are deer, not exceeding 60 cm at the withers. Their weight is about 35 kg. Such small growth is due to island dwarfism. The North American deer lives on average about 10 years.
White-tailed deer is found throughout the mainland andeven a little further: from the southern borders of Canada to the north of Brazil and Peru. This species is considered one of the most common of those that have been able to adapt to different conditions. The herds of these animals can be seen in the forests of New England, in the hard-to-reach swamps of the Everglades, in the prairies, in the semi-deserts of Arizona and Mexico that are not easily accessible to humans.
В Бразилии белохвостый олень заселил тугайные forests, the northern slopes of the Andes and coastal shrub savanna. It is curious that the rain forests did not attract animals - there are none at all. However, in the whole of South and Central America, the whitetail is much less common than in North.
High species adjustability made itwelcome guest in many regions. Thus, in the middle of the last century, the white-tailed deer in Finland turned out to be under the introduction program. Later, having multiplied, the animals naturally settled throughout Scandinavia. Also, deer were brought to the Czech Republic and Russia. This species is one of the seven transported to New Zealand for the development of hunting.
В целом животное это предпочитает одиночный образ of life. However, even apart from the mating season, heterosexual individuals can form groups, albeit fragile. For mating males of enough scattered females - he does not need to create a harem.
200 days after the mating season to lightThere are deer. Most often 1-2 babies are born, but sometimes three can appear. White-tailed deer fur, like many other species, is covered with white specks.
What a deer of this species feeds on does not single out it among other ungulates: leaves, buds, grasses, berries, tree bark.
In natural conditions, there are many people willing to eat white-tailed meat: cougars, coyotes, wolves, jaguars, bears. In addition, a person considers whitetail deer to be excellent prey.
Experts believe that before settling the Europeansin North America, about 40 million white-tailed deer lived there. Indians have always hunted these animals, but this did not affect the population. The colonists, on the other hand, began to kill deer, not only for the extraction of meat, but also for the sake of a beautiful skin, and often only for entertainment.
Such use of the "resource" led to the fact thatIn 1900, there were about 500 thousand. From this point on, a restriction on hunting has been introduced, but even today the situation is different in different regions of the continent. In some areas, the number is almost restored, while in others the view is on the verge of extinction. In total, there are currently about 14 million individuals in the United States.
Some subspecies that previously inhabited the continent are considered to be almost completely destroyed and belong to the extinct or nearly extinct. The IUCN red list consists of:
• Рифовый олень. Житель островов Флорида-Кис.The smallest white-tailed subspecies. Shooting in 1945 led to the fact that there were only 26 units left. Measures of protection and revival of the population led to the fact that today their number has increased to 300 individuals. But the influx of tourists to the islands makes one worry about the population.
• Columbian Whitetail Deer.Received the name in honor of the habitat - near the Columbia River (Oregon and Washington). The habitat of this subspecies is almost completely destroyed by humans, so the number of deer has decreased to 300. By now, the Colombian whitetail is in the least danger, its numbers have increased to 3000.
In most regions of the United States, deer huntingis allowed. However, during the season one hunter has the right to kill only one individual. Nevertheless, the population size is decreasing annually, which seriously worries the specialists.
Today there are several groups in our countrydeer in the fenced areas of Smolensk, Nizhny Novgorod, Voronezh and Tver regions. Perhaps there are groups in Karelia and the Udmurt Republic.
In addition, deer brought to Finland, penetrate into the Leningrad region for more than 8 years. Since 2013, the species has received hunting status.
Such a situation makes the question of learning the speciesmore relevant. The grouping of white-tailed deer is becoming more and more, and the status of the species in the country is not defined. It is required to find out as soon as possible whether it is dangerous for the local fauna, whether this kind of hunting resource is necessary for the country.
For our country are increasingly relevantissues related to the species, since an increasing number of these animals appear on the territory of Russia. What eats a deer, what habitat prefers, what diseases are characteristic of the species. All this is important to know in order to understand whether we need this imported animal.
