Large Mammal
White-tailed Deer
The graceful runner that talks with its tail
Hi, Pie!
Most fawns who arrive at the Wildlife Park are released back into the wild within a few months, but some couldn't make that journey back. Like Pie, one of our older does. She’s easy to spot: she's a piebald deer, meaning her coat is mostly white with patches of brown, making her one of our most striking residents.
Deer Digs
White-tailed deer live statewide – from the deep woods to farmland to suburban backyards.
Deer Details
Deer eat a wide variety of foods. Their trademark white tail, when up, is a warning signal to other deer. Long graceful legs enable them to cover ground quickly by leaping, bounding, turning and outright running at speeds up to 40 miles per hour.
Quick Facts
Average Size
Deer are up to 3.5 feet tall standing and up to 7 feet long; adult females (does) average 140 pounds and adult males (bucks) average 195 pounds.
What's on the Menu
Herbivores; leaves (green and fallen), fruits, hard mast (acorns, beech nuts, etc.), grains, and twigs and buds of woody plants; occasionally grasses, sedges, ferns, lichens, mushrooms, weeds, and aquatics.
The Look
Reddish brown fur in the summer switching to a grayish brown in winter, powerful ears, and a large tail that is bright white underneath, hence the name. Bucks grow and shed antlers every year.
