Environmental Conservation & Protection of Plants & Wildlife, Deer & Deer Family, Extinct & Endangered Animals, Mammals - Large Herbivores

Save the Florida Key Deer

Name: Save the Florida Key Deer
Author: Margaret G. Clark
ISBN: 9780525652328

by Margaret G. Clark

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Overview

The little deer of the Florida Keys are found nowhere else in the world. Related to the white-tailed deer, the Key deer is not much larger than a big dog. Today, it is an endangered species. There are no more than a few hundred left. The little deer wander through backyards and front lawns. Reduced speed limits are posted, but many deer get killed by automobiles. It is against the law to feed them. That makes them lose their natural fear of people and cars, and more likely to get killed. The National Key Deer Refuge was established on Big Pine Key in 1957, but more land is needed. People who live on the Keys like the little animals, and efforts are being made to find room for building developments and also enough space for Key deer to thrive.

Discusses the history, physical characteristics, behavior, and habitat of the small deer that have lived for hundreds of years in the Florida Keys, as well as threats to their continued existence.

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Editorials

Children's Literature - Joyce Rice

The Florida Key deer is no larger than a big dog, and can be found only in the Florida Keys. As in many other places in the world, the native wildlife are running out of places to live because of the encroachment of developers, both commercial and residential, on their natural habitats. Laws have been passed to protect this endangered animal. Reduced speed limits are posted and signs warn visitors not to feed the animals because it makes the deer lose their fear of people and increases their risk of being killed by automobiles. The National Key Deer Refuge was established in 1957 to help protect these animals, but there is still more to be done. People who live in the Florida Keys like these "toy-like" deer and are making an effort to provide room for them as well as continued development. The author is a Florida citizen who has become acquainted firsthand with her state's "little deer".

School Library Journal

Gr 4-7This brief but engaging book deals with an endangered animal that may be familiar only to Floridians. While these dog-sized relatives of the more familiar white-tailed deer have lived on the Keys for thousands of years, there are now only a few hundred left and over 100 died in 1996 alone. The majority are killed in traffic, but handfeeding of the animals is the real problem as it alters their behavior and attracts them to populated areas. The history of this deer, from the first sighting noted in a log on one of Columbus's ships to the movement to save the Key deer that was spearheaded by an 11-year-old boy in 1947, is interesting and even inspirational. The eventual refuge that was formed due to Glenn Allen's persistence is the only reason there are still Key deer alive today, and is a positive example of democratic responsibility and action. Clark tells about the benefits of refuges; moves on to Key deer's lifestyle and behavior; and then to the problems they encounter, from hunters and dogs to storms and traffic. In spite of an insufficient map that depicts only the Keys on which the deer reside and no sign of the mainland, this title is an interesting addition for libraries looking for more on conservation.Susan Oliver, Tampa-Hillsborough Public Library System, FL