(Fawn) California Mule Deer

Description:

Brown deer with white spots, black-tipped tail and large ears. There were two fawns with a doe enjoying the landscaping of the zoo. They often visit the area and even enter several enclosures, eating the food.

Habitat:

Foraging on a hillside of the San Diego Zoo Safari Park.

Notes:

"Most fawns are born with their fur covered with white spots, though in many species they lose these spots by the end of their first winter. In the first twenty minutes of a fawn's life, the fawn begins to take its first steps. Its mother licks it clean until it is almost free of scent, so predators will not find it. Its mother leaves often, and the fawn does not like to be left behind. Sometimes its mother must gently push it down with her foot. The fawn stays hidden in the grass for one week until it is strong enough to walk with its mother. The fawn and its mother stay together for about one year. A male usually never sees his mother again, but females sometimes come back with their own fawns and form small herds." - Wikipedia