Ingles - biodiversity

Soleyl Colmenares CRN 23505 BSC 1050 Biodiversity Activity

1. 2. According to the Texas A&M University Key Deer Project website, Key deer (odocoileus virginianus clavium) is the smallest of allwhite-tailed deer, is a subspecies of the Virginia whitetailed deer. These deer inhabit Big Pine Key and various surrounding keys. They are not found anywhere else in the world. Their height is between24-28 inches. Does weigh 45-65 pounds while bucks weigh 55-75 pounds. In September the Key deer starts its rutting season activities through November and December. Key deer are herbivores, they feedon native plants such as red, black and white mangroves, thatch palm berries and over 150 other species of plants. It can tolerate small amounts of salt in their water and they will also drink brackishwater, but fresh water is essential for their survival. 3. The habitat of the Key Deer is in the Florida Keys National Wildlife Refuges, best known as National Key Deer Refuge, Great White Heron, KeyWest and Crocodile Lake National Wildlife Refuges. These four refuges are located in an expanse of sea, islands and sky. These refuges are part of a vast subtropical ecosystem. This chain of islandsare almost 150 miles from the southeastern tip of Florida, curving gently towards the Westside dividing the aquagreen waters of the Gulf of Mexico from the Atlantic. These lands maintain a uniquebiodiversity by protecting and preserving important marine water, freshwater wetlands, mangroves, tropical hardwood forests (hammocks), and pine forests. Together, these habitats provide the four basiccomponents of a habitat- food water, shelter, and open space for this endangered species along with other 21 species, according to U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. 4. According to the Key Deer ProtectionAlliance, the earliest mention of Key deer is found in the memoirs of Fontaneda, a shipwrecked Spaniard held captive by the local Indians. It seems that many deers were found around Key West and...