Less than 2 1/2 feet tall and males weighing no more than 50 pounds, this is the smallest deer in the U.S. They are a subspecies of the whitetail deer and can be found only in the Florida Keys.

Their habitat shrank due to uncontrolled development. In 1951 fewer there were fewer than 50 of these little deer. The National Wildlife Federation initiated a national campaign to draw attention to them. Now they number about 300 in the Southern Florida Keys. The National Key Deer Refuge on Big Pine Key protects the Key deer. Two years ago, NWF's Southeastern Natural Resouce Center successfully went to court to protect Key deer habitat from improper use of federal flood-insurance programs.

About 45 are killed a year by cars. PLEASE observe the speed limit and NOT pull over to feed or photograph deer, since this encourages them to approach the road. The refuge is open daily dawn to dusk.

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Changes last made on: Tue. Feb. 15, 2000