Mule Deer

Mule Deer at the Zoo

Bailey – is our oldest Mule Deer but she is still very young. She came to us in 2009 because someone found her as a baby wandering in a cul de sac in Fontana. She appeared to have no fear of people and the humane society picked her up and brought her to us. She was so friendly that we assume someone tried to keep her as a pet.

Hope – arrived at the zoo in 2021, was previously being kept as an illegal pet.

Description

(Odocoileus hemionus)

Mule deer antlers “fork” as they grow. The average male deer weighs 200 pounds and the female deer weighs 150 pounds. Deer kill about 150-170 people each year, from car accidents, and because people underestimate how dangerous they really are.

What does the mule deer eat?

Mule deer eat a wide variety of plant foods, utilizing the food that grows where they live. Their diet consists of woody vegetation, plants, berries, acorns, apples and grasses.

How long do they live?

Mule deer usually live 9-11 years in the wild and can live to be much older when in captivity.

How many mule deer can be born at a time?

Usually two, although if it is their first time, they may have only one.

Where can they be found?

North America and Argentina.

Interesting facts:

Mule deer antlers “fork” as they grow.
The average male deer weighs 200 pounds and the female deer weighs 150 pounds.
The mule deer in the wild has several predators: humans, coyotes, mountain lion, eagles, bears, wolves, and bobcats.
Mule deer have no upper teeth, only a hard palate.
Deer kill about 150-170 people each year, from car accidents, and because people underestimate how dangerous they really are.