With A Pudu, Size Doesn't Matter

Photo Suzanne Bolduc, WCS Josephine, a South American pudu deer, with her mate at the Queen's Zoo.The pudu is an endangered species, threatened by habitat destruction in its native Argentina and Chile.

The news to hit the Wildlife Conservation Society's Queens Zoo is the arrival of Josephine, the world's smallest deer and Napoleon's new mate.

Zookeepers say this imperial pair took a liking to each other almost immediately, forming a bond similar to that of their historic namesakes. While Napoleon Bonaparte shared passionate love letters with Josephine, the pudu share more practical things, such as trees for shelter and greens for food. Hopefully, this pint-sized pair, native to South America, not France, will make their own history at the Queens Zoo.

Since Napoleon and Josephine look almost identical, it's difficult to tell the pudus apart. One sure-fire way to decipher who's who is to look for Napoleon's antlers. Like all deer, only males grow these horn-like appendages, which they shed each winter.

Though the pudu is part of the deer family, it has extraordinary characteristics, such as barking at danger and even climbing fallen trees. These tiny deer, which stand about 12 to 14 inches at the shoulder, are excellent jumpers, sprinters, and climbers that can run away from almost any predator. And what the pudu lacks in size it makes up in strategy. When chased, pudus run in a zig-zag pattern that's hard to follow, proving that size doesn't always matter in wild.

Queens Zoo, a Wildlife Conservation Society park, is located at 53-51 111th St. in Flushing Meadows- Corona Park.

The Wildlife Conservation Society saves wildlife and wild places worldwide through science, global conservation, education and the management of the world's largest system of urban wildlife parks, led by the flagship Bronx Zoo. Together these activities change attitudes towards nature and help people imagine wildlife and humans living in harmony. WCS is committed to this mission because it is essential to the integrity of life on Earth.

Admission is $6 adults, $2.25 seniors 65 and older, $2 kids 3 to 12, and free for children under 3. Zoo hours are 10 a.m.. to 4:30 p.m. daily.

For more information, call 718-271-1500 or visit www.queenszoo.com.