Have you ever driven past the zoo and seen some deer on the outside of the zoo property, gazing into the bison enclosure, where Darby, the zoo’s one white-tailed deer is looking back? I often wonder what they’re all thinking…
Some interesting facts about the white-tailed deer:
- The doe leaves its fawn unattended for sometimes hours at a time. The fawn is well camouflaged and almost scentless which helps to protect it from predators. If you find a fawn that appears abandoned, take care not to touch it as that may cause the mother to desert it.
- It is the most widely distributed and most numerous of all of North America’s large animals.
- Disney’s “Bambi” is based on a white-tailed deer fawn.
Zoo Note: Darby is a white-tailed deer that lives with the bison herd. She was born June 19, 2002. Most white-tailed deer live about 2 to 3 years. Maximum life span in the wild is about 20 years but few live past 10 years old. Some deer in captivity will live longer thanks to the care they receive.