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Odocoileus virginianus subsp. clavium Barbour & G.M.Allen, 1922
Key Deer
Florida native
Endemic to Florida
Endangered Florida species
U.S. Endangered species
Key deer are found only in the Florida keys. The historical range extended from Key West probably up the chain of islands as far as Vaca Key. Now most of the population exists on Big Pine and No Name Keys.
This sub-species of white-tailed deer most likely migrated to the keys when a continuous land bridge existed. That would have been before the melting of the Wisconsin Glacier caused a rise of sea levels, dividing the area of the keys into separate islands.
WIth a shoulder height of between 61-71 cm (24-28 in.), does weigh 45-65 pounds with bucks being about ten pounds heavier.
Key deer feed on red, black and white mangroves, thatch palm berries and other native plants. They can tolerate small amounts of salt in their water, allowing them to drink from brackish sources, but do require fresh water to survive. Their greatest threat is from automobile collisions, prompting highly enforced lowered speed limits on Big Pine Key.
Odocoileus virginianus is a member of the Cervidae - Deer family.
Other species of the Odocoileus genus in the Wild Florida Photo database:
Odocoileus virginianus - WHITE-TAILED DEER
iNaturalist profile for this species
For more information on this species, visit the following link:
Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission page for this species
Date record last modified: Feb 09, 2024
