#KeyDeer July 28

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July 2026 several of us are going to take on the 30-Day America at 250 Coach4aday Challenge. Each day we share something about America’s unique and quirky history. It can be about a place, an event, or person. Today it about the KEY DEER a mammal that is only found in America.

America is home to several mammal species found nowhere else in the world. These are known as endemic species, and one of the most well-known is the Key deer. My granddaughter had the chance to see these unique animals last July while visiting the Lower Florida Keys.

Day 28-Key Deer

The Key deer is the smallest subspecies of the North American white-tailed deer and is found only in the Lower Florida Keys, primarily on Big Pine Key and nearby islands. Adult Key deer typically stand just 24 to 32 inches tall at the shoulder and weigh between 50 and 80 pounds.

Because of habitat loss and vehicle collisions, they were once on the brink of extinction, but conservation efforts have helped their population recover. Seeing these gentle, diminutive deer roaming freely through neighborhoods and natural areas is one of the most memorable experiences for visitors to the Lower Keys. As my granddaughter said “They are so cute”