Internet Fawns Over 6-Inch-Tall Deer

A tiny deer is generating a giant dose of cuteness in New York City after the Wildlife Conservation Society sent out a baby announcement today. It's a boy! The southern pudu (POO'-doo) fawn—the world's smallest deer species—was born May 12 at the Queens Zoo. The fawn is still nursing but soon will be munching on leaves, grain, kale, carrots, and hay. The white spots on his soft brown fur will disappear as he grows up. In his case, though, "growing up" won't be much of a vertical process. Southern pudus tend to be around a foot tall at the shoulder. When they're born, they're only 6 inches high—and weigh less than a pound.

Per the Zoo's announcement: Pudu "bark when they sense danger and when chased, they run in a zig-zag pattern to escape predators including owls, foxes, pumas, and small cats. Although small in stature, only 12 to 14 inches at the shoulder, pudu are excellent jumpers and sprinters. They are generally shy and solitary, preferring to hide in thick vegetation. (More deer stories.)