Key Deer
House-dog-sized white-tailed deer swim between islands and browse pineland, hammock, and wetland habitat around Big Pine and neighboring keys.
Artwork inspired by Mario Sanchez
Key deer are not juveniles or pets; adults are a naturally small island form of white-tailed deer. Fresh water, high ground, connected habitat, and the ability to move among islands become critical after storms and during drought.
Habituation is a central danger. Feeding draws deer toward roads, dogs, fences, and inappropriate food, while close photographs reward unsafe behavior. Observe from inside a stopped vehicle only where legal or from a generous distance on foot.
- Global range
- Lower Florida Keys
- Identity
- White-tailed deer subspecies
- Movement
- Can swim between islands
Quick guide
- Judge scale carefully
- Adults can be surprisingly small while retaining normal deer proportions.
- Watch road edges
- Slow down throughout the refuge area, especially near dawn and dusk.
Recognize it through habitat and behavior
- Judge scale carefully
- Adults can be surprisingly small while retaining normal deer proportions.
- Watch road edges
- Slow down throughout the refuge area, especially near dawn and dusk.
- Notice island habitat
- Pine rockland, hammock, wetland, and freshwater each serve different needs.
- Do not feed
- Human food and roadside gathering kill deer indirectly.
Good to know
Key deer may approach because generations of feeding have reduced caution. That apparent friendliness is a conservation problem, not permission to touch or offer food.