A zoo has welcomed an adorable new arrival, and he weighs barely more than a bag of sugar.
The tiny southern pudu fawn, believed to be one of the smallest baby deer in the world, was born to proud parents Bosa and Pacu.
Weighing just over two pounds, the newborn has already melted hearts after making his public debut alongside his mother in the zoo’s Expedition Peru habitat.
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Keepers said the male fawn is still settling into his surroundings and may not always be visible to visitors as he adjusts to life outside, as reported by What’s The Jam.
Southern pudus are officially the world’s smallest deer species, native to the forests of southern Chile and southwestern Argentina.
The shy animals are known for their tiny size, short legs and ability to move easily through dense vegetation to avoid predators.
Despite their cute appearance, pudus play an important role in the ecosystem by helping spread seeds and maintain forest habitats.
Zoo staff said this marks only the facility’s second southern pudu birth.
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The species is currently listed as near-threatened by the IUCN Red List, with numbers declining due to deforestation, poaching, and attacks from domestic dogs.
Other threats include habitat fragmentation and competition from introduced animals such as wild boar and red deer.
The pint-sized newcomer has already attracted attention online, with the announcement post being liked over 16,000 times, with 671 comments ‘fawning’ over the baby deer.
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One user said: “It looks like a deer mixed with a highland cow!”
Angie said: “10/10 would pet.”
Another person said: “He is so cute it almost looks fake like a stuffed animal. Love him.”
Heather commented: “So cute! Looks like a deer with a teddy bear face.”
One person added: “I love Pudus they’re so dang cute! Welcome little one!”
The male southern pudu fawn is still unnamed and was born on May 8th at Nashville Zoo.
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