While out exploring the trails of Mable Davis Park, I was surprised to see a white-tailed deer, Odocoileus virginianus, spring across the path. Unfortunately I was unable to get a picture, so readers you are going to have to take my word for it that I did indeed see this deer (A doe to be precise). Some quick facts about the white-tailed deer:
- Herbivore that can digest leaves, twigs, fruits, nuts, grass, lichens and fungi
- Mammal with a gestation period of seven months
- Rely on their speed and agility to escape predators
- Restoration and management success story (National Geographic)
As human development expands further and further into previously untouched habitats humans come into greater contact with the wild animals that once called that place home. This can be viewed as both a good thing and a bad thing. People like the idea of being close to nature and seeing a deer near their home is a way for them to forgot that they living in an urban world and remember the beauty of nature. Deer can also fascinate young children. Others, especially anyone who has ever hit a deer while driving, see the presence of deer as a nuisance. Deer can eat crops and gardens and can cause car accidents. However you view the white-tailed deer, their presence is a reminder of the biodiversity that surrounds us.
iNaturalist Observation: http://www.inaturalist.org/observations/4206117
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