Graeme Teague Photography

Key Deer Toll Signage

Caption: Key Deer Toll Signage
Scientific name: Odocoileus virginianus clavium
Location: Florida Keys
Copyright: © Graeme Teague 832-526-1123 gtphoto@shaw.ca
AGPix ID: AGPix_GrTePh23_2297
Photo Alignment: 35mm (horizontal)
Comments: The endless efforts to help conserve the Key Deer population, endangered sub-species. Florida Keys. The Key deer is an endangered deer that lives only in the Florida Keys. It is a subspecies of the white-tailed deer (O. virginianus). It is the smallest North American deer. Key deer easily swim between islands. Living close to humans, the Key deer has little of the natural fear of man shown by most of their larger mainland relatives. The deer are often found in residents' yards and along roadsides where tasty plants and flowers grow. This often results in car-to-deer collisions resulting in 30-40 deaths per year, about 70% of their annual mortality. The Key deer is believed to be a subspecies of white-tailed deer which migrated to the Florida Keys from the mainland over a land bridge during the Wisconsin glaciation.