By September these first antlers are fully grown spikes, or small, forked antlers with two points.įigure 2. Just before the fawn’s first birthday, these velvet-covered buttons begin to elongate, growing from bony extensions of the skull known as pedicels. These buttons are the rudimentary beginnings of the young buck’s first antler set (Fig. Male fawns develop buttons (small bumps on top of the head) at six to eight months of age. Few deer live longer than ten years, and most live for no more than five.In many deer populations, hunting dampens the effects of other mortality factors as hunting mortality decreases, other forms of mortality tend to increase, and vice versa. Hunting, vehicles, and diseases all take their toll on deer.Cougars, bears, coyotes, and domestic dogs prey on adult deer young fawns fall victim to these species as well as to eagles and bobcats.In winter, deer may be observed in larger groups of 15 to 30, usually grouping because they are concentrated in limited winter habitat.Occasionally, groups of several does may be seen together. Family groups usually consist of a doe and her fawns, and sometimes her fawns from the previous year.Adult bucks take no part in raising fawns, and generally remain solitary or form bachelor groups throughout the summer.Newborn fawns nurse soon after birth and can walk on spindly legs almost immediately.White-tailed deer will occasionally have triplets. Younger does give birth to one fawn, while does three to nine years of age and in good condition often have twins. Unlike elk, deer bucks do not herd groups of females however, a single mature buck may breed with several females.Bucks compete for the right to breed using ritualized posturing and movements, and occasionally through intense fighting. Deer breed during a rutting season that normally occurs in November and December.Black-tailed and white-tailed deer normally reside within a ½ to 3 square-mile area in mountainous locations, they move to lower elevations for the winter.Mule deer summering in the Cascades migrate as far as 80 miles to reach adequate winter range. Mule deer can move long distances during spring and fall migrations to avoid mountain snow.Many wooded suburban environments, such as parks, greenbelts, golf courses, and roadsides, meet the needs of deer.This allows deer to feed in productive openings while being close to escape cover. Deer are sometimes referred to as “edge” species, meaning they thrive at the interface of openings and cover patches.From there it is passed into a third and then a fourth stomach, finally entering the intestine.
This food is stored in a stomach called the “rumen.” From there it is regurgitated, then re-chewed before being swallowed again, entering a second stomach where digestion begins. Deer eat rapidly and, being ruminants, initially chew their food only enough to swallow it.For their first few weeks of life, fawns thrive on milk, which is more than twice as rich in total solids as the best cow milk.Deer also eat fruit, nuts, acorns, fungi, lichens, and farm and garden crops if available.In late winter and early spring, deer eat grass, clover, and other herbaceous plants. Deer eat a wide variety of plants, but their main food item is browse-the growing tips of trees and shrubs.Cats with Russian Blue ancestry have been observed to demonstrate the curly-tailed trait. Their regal bearing combines with a natural smile to make this a charming, comforting breed. Their fur sometimes has silver tips, especially around the eyes, ears, and nose. The Russian Blue is known for its bright green eyes and short, dense coat that’s so gray it almost looks blue. Russian Blue Cat Image Credit: Rob Rye, Shutterstock At the end of the list, though, you’ll see how that might change. So far, there’s no breed of cat that has a curly tail all the time.
In this list, we’ll tell you about all the cat breeds who have been observed to have curly tails. Now that you know it’s safe, you have permission to find it adorable.Ĭurly tails are most common in mixed-breed cats.
Having a curly tail doesn’t hurt the cat at all, and all the evidence shows that it doesn’t make the cat any less healthy throughout its life. Kitties with this rare trait have tails that curl back on themselves, even when the rest of their body is stretched all the way out. Although lots of cats curl their tails around themselves to communicate or keep warm, very few cats have tails that naturally curl up all the time.