The Andean pudu, Pudu puda, is a small mammal which lives in the dense forests of South America. Like other members of the deer family, the male pudu has short pointed antlers which he loses each year.
Profile
Near threatened (NT)
Lifestyle
Secretive and solitary, the pudu patrols its territory day and night, following well-defined paths along which it deposits scent markers using glands near its eyes.
Distinctive features
With its short, sturdy legs, small size and rounded shape, the pudu is adapted to living in the dense forest where it can thread its way through the trees and thickets. To escape from predators, it can climb to forests up to 3,200 metres in altitude.
Anecdote
Young pudus escape from predators thanks to the white spots on their coat which look like rays of sunlight in the undergrowth.
