Pudú
Encyclopedia
The pudús are two species of South American deer from the genus Pudu; the world's smallest deer
. The name is a loanword from Mapudungun
the language of the indigenous Mapuche
people of southern Chile
. The two species of pudús are the Northern Pudú (Pudu mephistophiles) from Colombia
, Ecuador
, and Peru
, and the Southern or Chilean Pudú (Pudu puda; sometimes incorrectly modified to Pudu pudu) from southern Chile
and southwestern Argentina
. Pudús range in size from 32 centimetre tall and up to 85 centimetres (33.5 in) long. As of 2009, both species are classified as Vulnerable in the IUCN Red List
.
in 1850. Pudua was a Latinized version of the name proposed by Alfred Henry Garrod
in 1877 but ruled invalid. They are classified in the New World deer subfamily Capreolinae
within the deer family Cervidae. The term "pudú" itself is derived from the Mapuche
people of the Chilean region and translates to 'the people of southern Chile'. Because they live on the slopes of the Andes
Mountain Range, they are also known as the "Chilean mountain goat".
Two similar species of pudús are recognised:
in the species includes an absence of antlers in females. Males have short, spiked antlers that are not forked, as seen in most species of deer. The antlers, which are shed annually, can extend from 6.5 centimetre in length and protrude from between the ears. Also on the head are large preorbital glands. Pudús have small hooves
, dewclaw
s, and a short tail about 4 centimetre in length when measured without hair. Coat coloration varies with season, gender, and individual genes. The fur is long and stiff, typically pressed close to the body, with a reddish brown to dark brown hue. The neck and shoulders of an aged pudú turn a dark gray-brown in the winter.
, and northwest South America are home to the deer. The Northern Pudú is found in the Northern Andes
of Colombia
, Ecuador
, and Peru
, from 2000 to 4000 m (6,561.7 to 13,123.4 ft) above sea level
. The Southern species is found in the slope of the Southern Andes
from sea level
to 2000 metres (6,561.7 ft).
The climate of the pudú's habitat is composed of two main seasons: a damp, moderate winter and an arid summer. Annual precipitation in these areas of Argentina and Chile ranges from 2 to 4 m (6.6 to 13.1 ft).
. A single animal's territory is marked with sizable dung
piles found on paths and near eating and resting areas. Large facial glands for scent communication allow correspondence with other pudú deer. Pudús do not interact socially, other than to mate
. An easily frightened animal, the deer barks when in fear. Its fur bristles and the pudú shivers when angered.
Predators of the pudús include the Horned owl
, Andean fox
, Magellan fox
, cougar, and other small cats. The pudú is a wary animal that moves slowly and stops often, smelling the air for scents of predators. Being a proficient climber, jumper, and sprinter, the deer flees in a zigzag path when being pursued. The longevity of the pudús ranges from 8 to 10 years in the wild. The longest recorded life span is 15 years and 9 months. However, such longevity is rare and most pudús die at a much younger age. These deer die from a wide range of causes. Maternal neglect as newborns as well as a wide range of diseases can decrease the population. A popular rumor is that if alarmed to a high degree pudús die from fear-induced cardiac complications.
, consuming vines, leaves from low trees, shrubs, succulent sprouts, herbs, ferns, blossoms, buds, tree bark, and fallen fruit. They can survive without drinking water for long periods due to the high water content of the succulent foliage in their diet.
Pudús have various methods of obtaining the foliage they need. Their small stature and cautious nature create obstacles in attaining food. They stop often while searching for food to stand on their hind legs and smell the wind, detecting food scents. Females and fawns peel bark from saplings using their teeth, but mature males may use their spikelike antlers. The deer may use their front legs to press down on saplings until they snap or become low enough to the ground so that the pudús can reach the leaves. Forced to stand on their hind legs due to their small size, the deer climb branches and tree stumps to reach higher foliage. They bend bamboo shoots horizontally in order to walk on them and eat from higher branches.
Pudús are solitary and only come together for rut
. Mating season is in the Southern Hemisphere autumn, from April to May. Pudú DNA is arranged into 70 chromosomes. To mate, the pudú male rests his chin on the female's back, then sniffs her rear before mounting her from behind, holding her with his forelegs. The gestation period
ranges from 202 to 223 days (around 7 months) with the average being 210 days. A single offspring or sometimes twins are born in austral spring, from November to January. Newborns weigh 700 to 1000 g (24.7 to 35.3 oz) with the average birth weight being 890 grams (31.4 oz). Newborns less than 600 grams (21.2 oz) or more than 1000 grams (35.3 oz) die. Females and males weigh the same at birth. Fawns have reddish brown fur and Southern Pudú fawns have white spots running the length of their back. Young are weaned after 2 months. Females mature sexually in 6 months while males mature in 8–12 months. Fawns are fully grown in 3 months but may stay with their mothers for 8 to 12 months.
in the IUCN Red List
, mainly because of overhunting and habitat loss. Pudu puda is listed in CITES Appendix I, and Pudu mephistophiles is listed in CITES Appendix II. The Southern species is more easily maintained in captivity than the Northern, though small populations of the Northern formerly existed in zoos. , more than 100 Southern Pudús are kept at ISIS
registered institutions with the vast majority in European and US zoos. Pudús are difficult to transport because they are easily overheated and stressed. Pudús are protected in various national parks. Parks require resources in order to enforce protection of the deer.
There are efforts to preserve the pudú species before they become extinct. An international captive breeding
program for the Southern Pudú led by Concepcion University in Chile has been started. Some deer have been bred in captivity and re-introduced into Nahuel Huapi National Park
in Argentina. Re-introduction efforts include the use of radio collars
for tracking. The Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species has banned the international trading of pudús. The Wildlife Conservation Society
protects their natural habitat and works to recreate it for pudús in captivity. Despite efforts made by the World Wildlife Fund (WWF), the size of the pudú population remains unknown. Threats to the pudús remain despite various conservation efforts.
of their rainforest habitat. The land is cleared for human development, cattle ranching, agriculture, logging, and exotic tree plantations.
Habitat fragmentation
and road accidents cause pudú deaths. They are taken from the wild as pets, as well as exported illegally.
They are overhunted and killed for food by specially trained hunting dogs.
The recently introduced
red deer
compete with pudús for food. Domestic dogs prey upon pudús and transfer parasites through contact. Pudús are very susceptible to diseases like bladder worms
, lungworm
s, roundworms, and heartworms.
Deer
Deer are the ruminant mammals forming the family Cervidae. Species in the Cervidae family include white-tailed deer, elk, moose, red deer, reindeer, fallow deer, roe deer and chital. Male deer of all species and female reindeer grow and shed new antlers each year...
. The name is a loanword from Mapudungun
Mapudungun
The Mapuche language, Mapudungun is a language isolate spoken in south-central Chile and west central Argentina by the Mapuche people. It is also spelled Mapuzugun and sometimes called Mapudungu or Araucanian...
the language of the indigenous Mapuche
Mapuche
The Mapuche are a group of indigenous inhabitants of south-central Chile and southwestern Argentina. They constitute a wide-ranging ethnicity composed of various groups who shared a common social, religious and economic structure, as well as a common linguistic heritage. Their influence extended...
people of southern Chile
Zona Sur
The Zona Sur is one of the five natural regions on which CORFO divided continental Chile in 1950. Its northern border is formed by the Bío-Bío River, the limit with the Central Chile Zone. By west with the Pacific Ocean, by the east with the Andean mountains and Argentina. Its southern border is...
. The two species of pudús are the Northern Pudú (Pudu mephistophiles) from Colombia
Colombia
Colombia, officially the Republic of Colombia , is a unitary constitutional republic comprising thirty-two departments. The country is located in northwestern South America, bordered to the east by Venezuela and Brazil; to the south by Ecuador and Peru; to the north by the Caribbean Sea; to the...
, Ecuador
Ecuador
Ecuador , officially the Republic of Ecuador is a representative democratic republic in South America, bordered by Colombia on the north, Peru on the east and south, and by the Pacific Ocean to the west. It is one of only two countries in South America, along with Chile, that do not have a border...
, and Peru
Peru
Peru , officially the Republic of Peru , is a country in western South America. It is bordered on the north by Ecuador and Colombia, on the east by Brazil, on the southeast by Bolivia, on the south by Chile, and on the west by the Pacific Ocean....
, and the Southern or Chilean Pudú (Pudu puda; sometimes incorrectly modified to Pudu pudu) from southern Chile
Chile
Chile ,officially the Republic of Chile , is a country in South America occupying a long, narrow coastal strip between the Andes mountains to the east and the Pacific Ocean to the west. It borders Peru to the north, Bolivia to the northeast, Argentina to the east, and the Drake Passage in the far...
and southwestern Argentina
Argentina
Argentina , officially the Argentine Republic , is the second largest country in South America by land area, after Brazil. It is constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires...
. Pudús range in size from 32 centimetre tall and up to 85 centimetres (33.5 in) long. As of 2009, both species are classified as Vulnerable in the IUCN Red List
IUCN Red List
The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species , founded in 1963, is the world's most comprehensive inventory of the global conservation status of biological species. The International Union for Conservation of Nature is the world's main authority on the conservation status of species...
.
Taxonomy
The genus Pudu was first erected by English naturalist John Edward GrayJohn Edward Gray
John Edward Gray, FRS was a British zoologist. He was the elder brother of George Robert Gray and son of the pharmacologist and botanist Samuel Frederick Gray ....
in 1850. Pudua was a Latinized version of the name proposed by Alfred Henry Garrod
Alfred Henry Garrod
Alfred Henry Garrod FRS was an English vertebrate zoologist.Garrod was born in London, the eldest son of Sir Alfred Baring Garrod , a physician at King's College Hospital, who discovered the abnormal uric acid metabolism associated with gout...
in 1877 but ruled invalid. They are classified in the New World deer subfamily Capreolinae
Capreolinae
Capreolinae, also known as Odocoileinae or the New World deer , is a subfamily of deer...
within the deer family Cervidae. The term "pudú" itself is derived from the Mapuche
Mapuche
The Mapuche are a group of indigenous inhabitants of south-central Chile and southwestern Argentina. They constitute a wide-ranging ethnicity composed of various groups who shared a common social, religious and economic structure, as well as a common linguistic heritage. Their influence extended...
people of the Chilean region and translates to 'the people of southern Chile'. Because they live on the slopes of the Andes
Andes
The Andes is the world's longest continental mountain range. It is a continual range of highlands along the western coast of South America. This range is about long, about to wide , and of an average height of about .Along its length, the Andes is split into several ranges, which are separated...
Mountain Range, they are also known as the "Chilean mountain goat".
Two similar species of pudús are recognised:
- The Southern Pudú (Pudu puda) is the better known species of pudú found in the Southern AndesAndesThe Andes is the world's longest continental mountain range. It is a continual range of highlands along the western coast of South America. This range is about long, about to wide , and of an average height of about .Along its length, the Andes is split into several ranges, which are separated...
of ChileChileChile ,officially the Republic of Chile , is a country in South America occupying a long, narrow coastal strip between the Andes mountains to the east and the Pacific Ocean to the west. It borders Peru to the north, Bolivia to the northeast, Argentina to the east, and the Drake Passage in the far...
and ArgentinaArgentinaArgentina , officially the Argentine Republic , is the second largest country in South America by land area, after Brazil. It is constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires...
. It is slightly larger than its sister species, the Northern pudú, being 35 to 45 cm (13.8 to 17.7 in) tall at the shoulder and weighs 6.4 to 13.4 kg (14.1 to 29.5 lb). The antlers of the Southern Pudú grow to be 5.3 to 9 cm (2.1 to 3.5 in) long and tend to curve back, somewhat like a mountain goatMountain goatThe Mountain Goat , also known as the Rocky Mountain Goat, is a large-hoofed mammal found only in North America. Despite its vernacular name, it is not a member of Capra, the genus of true goats...
. Their coat is a dark chestnut-brown, and tends to tuft in the front, covering the antlers. It is found at lower elevations than its sister species, from sea levelSea levelMean sea level is a measure of the average height of the ocean's surface ; used as a standard in reckoning land elevation...
to 2000 metres (6,561.7 ft). - The Northern Pudú (Pudu mephistophiles), found in the AndesAndesThe Andes is the world's longest continental mountain range. It is a continual range of highlands along the western coast of South America. This range is about long, about to wide , and of an average height of about .Along its length, the Andes is split into several ranges, which are separated...
of ColombiaColombiaColombia, officially the Republic of Colombia , is a unitary constitutional republic comprising thirty-two departments. The country is located in northwestern South America, bordered to the east by Venezuela and Brazil; to the south by Ecuador and Peru; to the north by the Caribbean Sea; to the...
, PeruPeruPeru , officially the Republic of Peru , is a country in western South America. It is bordered on the north by Ecuador and Colombia, on the east by Brazil, on the southeast by Bolivia, on the south by Chile, and on the west by the Pacific Ocean....
, and EcuadorEcuadorEcuador , officially the Republic of Ecuador is a representative democratic republic in South America, bordered by Colombia on the north, Peru on the east and south, and by the Pacific Ocean to the west. It is one of only two countries in South America, along with Chile, that do not have a border...
, is the smallest species of deer in the world, being 32 to 35 cm (12.6 to 13.8 in) tall at the shoulder and weighs 3.3 to 6 kg (7.3 to 13.2 lb). The antlers of the Northern Pudú grow to about 6 centimetres (2.4 in) long, also curving backward. Their coat tends to be lighter than that of the Southern Pudú, but their faces are darker compared to the coat. It is found at higher altitudes than its sister species, from 2000 to 4000 m (6,561.7 to 13,123.4 ft) above sea levelSea levelMean sea level is a measure of the average height of the ocean's surface ; used as a standard in reckoning land elevation...
.
Description
The pudús are the world's smallest deer, with the Southern Pudú being slightly larger than the Northern Pudú. It has a stocky frame supported by four short and slender legs. It is 32 centimetre high at the shoulder and up to 85 centimetres (33.5 in) in length. Pudús normally weigh up to 12 kilograms (26.5 lb), but the highest recorded weight of a pudú is 13.4 kilograms (29.5 lb). Pudús have small, black eyes, black noses, and rounded ears with lengths of 7.5 centimetre. Sexual dimorphismSexual dimorphism
Sexual dimorphism is a phenotypic difference between males and females of the same species. Examples of such differences include differences in morphology, ornamentation, and behavior.-Examples:-Ornamentation / coloration:...
in the species includes an absence of antlers in females. Males have short, spiked antlers that are not forked, as seen in most species of deer. The antlers, which are shed annually, can extend from 6.5 centimetre in length and protrude from between the ears. Also on the head are large preorbital glands. Pudús have small hooves
Hoof
A hoof , plural hooves or hoofs , is the tip of a toe of an ungulate mammal, strengthened by a thick horny covering. The hoof consists of a hard or rubbery sole, and a hard wall formed by a thick nail rolled around the tip of the toe. The weight of the animal is normally borne by both the sole...
, dewclaw
Dewclaw
A dewclaw is a vestigial digit on the foot of many mammals, birds, and reptiles . It commonly grows high on the leg so that in digitigrade species, when the animal is standing, it does not make contact with the ground...
s, and a short tail about 4 centimetre in length when measured without hair. Coat coloration varies with season, gender, and individual genes. The fur is long and stiff, typically pressed close to the body, with a reddish brown to dark brown hue. The neck and shoulders of an aged pudú turn a dark gray-brown in the winter.
Habitat and distribution
The pudús inhabits temperate rainforests in South America, where the dense underbrush and bamboo thickets offer protection from predators. Southern Chile, southwest Argentina, Chiloé IslandChiloé Island
Chiloé Island , also known as Greater Island of Chiloé , is the largest island of the Chiloé Archipelago off the coast of Chile, in the Pacific Ocean...
, and northwest South America are home to the deer. The Northern Pudú is found in the Northern Andes
Andes
The Andes is the world's longest continental mountain range. It is a continual range of highlands along the western coast of South America. This range is about long, about to wide , and of an average height of about .Along its length, the Andes is split into several ranges, which are separated...
of Colombia
Colombia
Colombia, officially the Republic of Colombia , is a unitary constitutional republic comprising thirty-two departments. The country is located in northwestern South America, bordered to the east by Venezuela and Brazil; to the south by Ecuador and Peru; to the north by the Caribbean Sea; to the...
, Ecuador
Ecuador
Ecuador , officially the Republic of Ecuador is a representative democratic republic in South America, bordered by Colombia on the north, Peru on the east and south, and by the Pacific Ocean to the west. It is one of only two countries in South America, along with Chile, that do not have a border...
, and Peru
Peru
Peru , officially the Republic of Peru , is a country in western South America. It is bordered on the north by Ecuador and Colombia, on the east by Brazil, on the southeast by Bolivia, on the south by Chile, and on the west by the Pacific Ocean....
, from 2000 to 4000 m (6,561.7 to 13,123.4 ft) above sea level
Sea level
Mean sea level is a measure of the average height of the ocean's surface ; used as a standard in reckoning land elevation...
. The Southern species is found in the slope of the Southern Andes
Andes
The Andes is the world's longest continental mountain range. It is a continual range of highlands along the western coast of South America. This range is about long, about to wide , and of an average height of about .Along its length, the Andes is split into several ranges, which are separated...
from sea level
Sea level
Mean sea level is a measure of the average height of the ocean's surface ; used as a standard in reckoning land elevation...
to 2000 metres (6,561.7 ft).
The climate of the pudú's habitat is composed of two main seasons: a damp, moderate winter and an arid summer. Annual precipitation in these areas of Argentina and Chile ranges from 2 to 4 m (6.6 to 13.1 ft).
Social
The pudú is a solitary animal whose behavior in the wild is largely unknown because of its secretive nature. Pudús are nocturnal and diurnal, but are mostly active in the morning, late afternoon, and evening. Their home range generally extends about 16 to 25 ha (39.5 to 61.8 acres), much of which consists of crisscrossing pudú-trodden paths. Each pudú has its own home range, or territoryTerritory (animal)
In ethology the term territory refers to any sociographical area that an animal of a particular species consistently defends against conspecifics...
. A single animal's territory is marked with sizable dung
Feces
Feces, faeces, or fæces is a waste product from an animal's digestive tract expelled through the anus or cloaca during defecation.-Etymology:...
piles found on paths and near eating and resting areas. Large facial glands for scent communication allow correspondence with other pudú deer. Pudús do not interact socially, other than to mate
Mating
In biology, mating is the pairing of opposite-sex or hermaphroditic organisms for copulation. In social animals, it also includes the raising of their offspring. Copulation is the union of the sex organs of two sexually reproducing animals for insemination and subsequent internal fertilization...
. An easily frightened animal, the deer barks when in fear. Its fur bristles and the pudú shivers when angered.
Predators of the pudús include the Horned owl
Horned owl
The American horned owls and the Old World eagle-owls make up the genus Bubo, at least as traditionally described. This genus, depending on definition, contains about one or two dozen species of typical owls and is found in many parts of the world. Some of the largest living Strigiformes are in...
, Andean fox
Culpeo
The culpeo , sometimes known as the culpeo zorro or Andean fox , is a South American species of wild dog. It is the second largest native canid on the continent after the maned wolf. In its appearance it bears many similarities to the widely recognized red fox...
, Magellan fox
Gray Fox
The gray fox is a mammal of the order Carnivora ranging throughout most of the southern half of North America from southern Canada to the northern part of South America...
, cougar, and other small cats. The pudú is a wary animal that moves slowly and stops often, smelling the air for scents of predators. Being a proficient climber, jumper, and sprinter, the deer flees in a zigzag path when being pursued. The longevity of the pudús ranges from 8 to 10 years in the wild. The longest recorded life span is 15 years and 9 months. However, such longevity is rare and most pudús die at a much younger age. These deer die from a wide range of causes. Maternal neglect as newborns as well as a wide range of diseases can decrease the population. A popular rumor is that if alarmed to a high degree pudús die from fear-induced cardiac complications.
Diet
The pudús are herbivorousHerbivore
Herbivores are organisms that are anatomically and physiologically adapted to eat plant-based foods. Herbivory is a form of consumption in which an organism principally eats autotrophs such as plants, algae and photosynthesizing bacteria. More generally, organisms that feed on autotrophs in...
, consuming vines, leaves from low trees, shrubs, succulent sprouts, herbs, ferns, blossoms, buds, tree bark, and fallen fruit. They can survive without drinking water for long periods due to the high water content of the succulent foliage in their diet.
Pudús have various methods of obtaining the foliage they need. Their small stature and cautious nature create obstacles in attaining food. They stop often while searching for food to stand on their hind legs and smell the wind, detecting food scents. Females and fawns peel bark from saplings using their teeth, but mature males may use their spikelike antlers. The deer may use their front legs to press down on saplings until they snap or become low enough to the ground so that the pudús can reach the leaves. Forced to stand on their hind legs due to their small size, the deer climb branches and tree stumps to reach higher foliage. They bend bamboo shoots horizontally in order to walk on them and eat from higher branches.
Reproduction
Rut (mammalian reproduction)
The rut is the mating season of ruminant animals such as deer, sheep, elk, moose, caribou, ibex, goats, pronghorn and Asian and African antelope....
. Mating season is in the Southern Hemisphere autumn, from April to May. Pudú DNA is arranged into 70 chromosomes. To mate, the pudú male rests his chin on the female's back, then sniffs her rear before mounting her from behind, holding her with his forelegs. The gestation period
Gestation period
For mammals the gestation period is the time in which a fetus develops, beginning with fertilization and ending at birth. The duration of this period varies between species.-Duration:...
ranges from 202 to 223 days (around 7 months) with the average being 210 days. A single offspring or sometimes twins are born in austral spring, from November to January. Newborns weigh 700 to 1000 g (24.7 to 35.3 oz) with the average birth weight being 890 grams (31.4 oz). Newborns less than 600 grams (21.2 oz) or more than 1000 grams (35.3 oz) die. Females and males weigh the same at birth. Fawns have reddish brown fur and Southern Pudú fawns have white spots running the length of their back. Young are weaned after 2 months. Females mature sexually in 6 months while males mature in 8–12 months. Fawns are fully grown in 3 months but may stay with their mothers for 8 to 12 months.
Status and conservation
, both species of pudús are classified as VulnerableVulnerable species
On 30 January 2010, the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species identified 9694 Vulnerable species, subspecies and varieties, stocks and sub-populations.-References:...
in the IUCN Red List
IUCN Red List
The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species , founded in 1963, is the world's most comprehensive inventory of the global conservation status of biological species. The International Union for Conservation of Nature is the world's main authority on the conservation status of species...
, mainly because of overhunting and habitat loss. Pudu puda is listed in CITES Appendix I, and Pudu mephistophiles is listed in CITES Appendix II. The Southern species is more easily maintained in captivity than the Northern, though small populations of the Northern formerly existed in zoos. , more than 100 Southern Pudús are kept at ISIS
International Species Information System
-External links:*...
registered institutions with the vast majority in European and US zoos. Pudús are difficult to transport because they are easily overheated and stressed. Pudús are protected in various national parks. Parks require resources in order to enforce protection of the deer.
Captive breeding
Captive breedingis the process of breeding animals in human controlled environments with restricted settings, such as wildlife reserves, zoos and other conservation facilities; sometimes the process is construed to include release of individual organisms to the wild, when there is sufficient...
program for the Southern Pudú led by Concepcion University in Chile has been started. Some deer have been bred in captivity and re-introduced into Nahuel Huapi National Park
Nahuel Huapi National Park
Established in 1934, the Nahuel Huapi National Park is the oldest national park in Argentina. It surrounds Nahuel Huapi Lake in the foothills of the Patagonian Andes. The largest of the national parks in the region, it has an area of , or nearly 2 million acres...
in Argentina. Re-introduction efforts include the use of radio collars
Tracking collar
Tracking collars are collars used as a radio beacon to track animal migration for research. Some pet owners use these collars for GPS tracking and geofencing of their pets....
for tracking. The Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species has banned the international trading of pudús. The Wildlife Conservation Society
Wildlife Conservation Society
The Wildlife Conservation Society based at the Bronx Zoo was founded in 1895 as the New York Zoological Society and currently manages some of wild places around the world, with over 500 field conservation projects in 60 countries, and 200 scientists on staff...
protects their natural habitat and works to recreate it for pudús in captivity. Despite efforts made by the World Wildlife Fund (WWF), the size of the pudú population remains unknown. Threats to the pudús remain despite various conservation efforts.
Threats
The pudús are threatened due to the destructionHabitat destruction
Habitat destruction is the process in which natural habitat is rendered functionally unable to support the species present. In this process, the organisms that previously used the site are displaced or destroyed, reducing biodiversity. Habitat destruction by human activity mainly for the purpose of...
of their rainforest habitat. The land is cleared for human development, cattle ranching, agriculture, logging, and exotic tree plantations.
Habitat fragmentation
Habitat fragmentation
Habitat fragmentation as the name implies, describes the emergence of discontinuities in an organism's preferred environment , causing population fragmentation...
and road accidents cause pudú deaths. They are taken from the wild as pets, as well as exported illegally.
They are overhunted and killed for food by specially trained hunting dogs.
The recently introduced
Introduced species
An introduced species — or neozoon, alien, exotic, non-indigenous, or non-native species, or simply an introduction, is a species living outside its indigenous or native distributional range, and has arrived in an ecosystem or plant community by human activity, either deliberate or accidental...
red deer
Red Deer
The red deer is one of the largest deer species. Depending on taxonomy, the red deer inhabits most of Europe, the Caucasus Mountains region, Asia Minor, parts of western Asia, and central Asia. It also inhabits the Atlas Mountains region between Morocco and Tunisia in northwestern Africa, being...
compete with pudús for food. Domestic dogs prey upon pudús and transfer parasites through contact. Pudús are very susceptible to diseases like bladder worms
Cestoda
This article describes the flatworm. For the medical condition, see Tapeworm infection.Cestoda is the name given to a class of parasitic flatworms, commonly called tapeworms, of the phylum Platyhelminthes. Its members live in the digestive tract of vertebrates as adults, and often in the bodies...
, lungworm
Lungworm
Lungworms are parasitic nematode worms of the order Strongylida that infest the lungs of vertebrates. The name is used for a variety of different groups of nematodes, some of which also have other common names; what they have in common is that they migrate to their hosts' lungs or respiratory...
s, roundworms, and heartworms.