The mule deer (Odocoileus hemionus) has been classified into two subspecies under the black-tailed deer group, namely the Columbian black-tailed deer (Odocoileus hemionus columbianus) and Sitka deer (Odocoileus hemionus sitkensis). While the former is an inhabitant of the western regions of North America, the habitat of the latter includes the coastal regions of British Columbia, south-central Alaska, and southeast Alaska. Although certain similarities have been observed between the closely related mule deer and the white-tailed deer, the latter is treated as a separate species. The black-tailed deer is popularly treated as a game animal in places like California, northern Alaska, coasts of British Columbia, western Oregon, and Washington.Did you know that the axis deer is the preferred deer for its sumptuous meat? It’s considered to be the best in taste. The black-tailed deer is similarly favored by hunters for its high demand in the consumer market. Several restaurants serve their meat as they produce tasty meals. Even the young ones have a tender taste.If you want to learn some uncommon facts about this deer species, read on! For more relatable content, check out these Himalayan musk deer facts and Cedros Island mule deer facts for kids.
Fun Columbian Black-tailed Deer Facts For Kids
What do they prey on? Tender shoots and leaves
What do they eat? Herbivore
Average litter size? 1-3
How much do they weigh? 66.1-463 lb (30-210 kg)
How long are they? 58 in (147.3 cm)
How tall are they? More than 39.4 in (100 cm)
What do they look like? Reddish-brown with a black tail
Skin Type Fur
What were their main threats? Humans And Predatory Animals
What is their conservation status? Not Evaluated
Where you’ll find them? Forest And Coastal Woodlands
Locations Western North America
Kingdom Animalia
Genus Odocoileus
Class Mammalia
Family Cervidae
Columbian Black-Tailed Deer Interesting FactsWhat type of animal is a Columbian black-tailed deer?The Columbian black-tailed deer (Odocoileus hemionus columbianus) of the Cervidae family is a subspecies of mule deer.What class of animal does a Columbian black-tailed deer belong to?A member of the Odocoileus genus, the black-tailed deer has been listed under the Mammalia class.How many Columbian black-tailed deer are there in the world?The population of adult black-tailed deer prevalent throughout the habitat range has not been quantified, so the numbers cannot be stated.Where does a Columbian black-tailed deer live?The black-tailed deer resides in the western parts of North America. In Canada, this species can be spotted in both the interiors and coasts of British Columbia. The species can also be traced in California, Alaska, Oregon, and Washington.What is a Columbian black-tailed deer’s habitat?The habitat range of this species borders around temperate or alpine rainforests, forest clearings, grassy areas, as well as coastal islands. During the breeding period, stags can be spotted along roadsides running after the does.Who does Columbian black-tailed deer live with?Deer are generally very social animals as they can often be found in groups or herds. Sometimes the herds are led by dominant stags, while herds can entirely consist of stags and does separately.How long does a Columbian black-tailed deer live?A blacktail deer usually survives for a period of seven years in the wilderness.How do they reproduce?The breeding season starts at the end of November or early December. The bucks engage in courtship rituals by pursuing the does and chasing them prior to reproduction. After rutting or breeding, the bucks retreat into hiding because of the damaged antlers and weight loss as a result of copulation. They shed the antlers by March, and the regrowth procedure continues from April to August. On the other hand, the doe serves the gestation period of six to seven months giving birth to fawns between May and June. Usually, twins are the norm, but doe sometimes produce triplets or a single fawn.What is their conservation status?The Columbian variety of the mule deer has no mention in the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List, so its conservation status is Not Evaluated.Columbian Black-Tailed Deer Fun FactsWhat do Columbian black-tailed deer look like?A subspecies of the mule deer, these medium-sized mammals possess large ears like the mule. The rump is shaded white while the tail, as the name suggests, is completely black and broad. Also, unlike the white-tailed deer that exhibits a white underside to their tails and single beams, the antlers of the black-tailed deer are forked.How cute are they?Deer are one of the most beautiful mammals to dwell on the earth! With their lustrous, large eyes, elegant red-brown fur, and docile yet graceful appearance, they never fail to attract onlookers.How do they communicate?Pheromones and scents serve as the most important medium of establishing communication. The alarm scent is emitted by the metatarsal, situated outside the lower leg. The trail scent is produced by the interdigital, located amidst the toes. Also, mutual recognition is possible with the aid of scents released from the tarsal from within the hocks.How big are a Columbian black-tailed deer?This deer species has an average height range of over 39.4 in (100 cm) when measured from the shoulder. They are larger than the axis deer measuring around the range of 27.5-35.4 in (70-90 cm).How fast can a Columbian black-tailed deer run?Since these deer are lightweight with long legs and sharp eyesight. They have beautiful, large eyes set on either side and they’re capable at sprinting at high speeds. The speed of the black-tailed deer enables it to cover long distances at a pace of 40 mph (64.4 kph). On being chased by a predator, the deer can even attain a higher speed of 60 mph (96.6 kph).How much does a Columbian black-tailed deer weigh?The approximate weight of this species falls in the range of about 66.1-463 lb (30-210 kg).What are the male and female names of the species?Any male deer is generally referred to as a stag or buck, whereas a female is called a doe or hind.What would you call a baby Columbian black-tailed deer?Fawn, calf, as well as kid, are names given to a baby deer.What do they eat?The black-tailed deer is heavily dependent on its herbivorous diet for daily nutritional requirements. The diet mostly comprises leaves, twigs, shrubs, and grass. During the cold winter months, they rely on the understory vegetation of dense forests, feeding primarily on lichens.Are they dangerous?Although deer possess a meek and mild appearance, they portray aggression towards other animals and human beings. They can also prove to be a nuisance, damaging gardens and crops by feeding on fruits and leaves.Would they make a good pet?It is against the law to rear wild animals as pets. Did you know…Are you aware of the fact that stags develop a pair of antlers each year so that they can defend themselves from adversity, fight against enemies, and even have easier access to food extracted from trees?What is the difference between the black tail and mule deer? As per research, both black tail and mule deer have close associations with the white-tailed deer, a close cousin, owing to several resemblances. However, little differences can be identified between the black tail and mule deer since the former is a subspecies of the mule deer. Mule deer are known to possess larger antlers while they have a narrow white-colored tail with black at the edges. On the other hand, the black tail possesses a darker face and a broader tail entirely shaded in black.How do black-tailed deer protect themselves? Deer have a well-developed sense of sight as well as smell that aids them in tracing abnormal activities that point towards impending danger. The primary instinct for survival against predators is simply fleeing the spot. Once caught, the stags defend themselves against predators like black bears, mountain lions, and wolves with the help of their antlers. They often use their hindquarters to stand up in a fight against predators similar to a horse. However, they’re quite helpless against inflicting humans. In California, around 165,000-200,000 hunters hunt down their favorite black-tailed deer every year.Here at Kidadl, we have carefully created lots of interesting family-friendly animal facts for everyone to discover! Learn more about some other mammals from our western ringtail possum fun facts and west Caucasian tur interesting facts pages.You can even occupy yourself at home by coloring in one of our free printable Alpine musk deer coloring pages.
What type of animal is a Columbian black-tailed deer?
The Columbian black-tailed deer (Odocoileus hemionus columbianus) of the Cervidae family is a subspecies of mule deer.
Fun Columbian Black-tailed Deer Facts For Kids
What do they prey on? Tender shoots and leaves
What do they eat? Herbivore
Average litter size? 1-3
How much do they weigh? 66.1-463 lb (30-210 kg)
How long are they? 58 in (147.3 cm)
How tall are they? More than 39.4 in (100 cm)
What do they look like? Reddish-brown with a black tail
Skin Type Fur
What were their main threats? Humans And Predatory Animals
What is their conservation status? Not Evaluated
Where you’ll find them? Forest And Coastal Woodlands
Locations Western North America
Kingdom Animalia
Genus Odocoileus
Class Mammalia
Family Cervidae
Fun Columbian Black-tailed Deer Facts For Kids
What do they prey on? Tender shoots and leaves
What do they eat? Herbivore
Average litter size? 1-3
How much do they weigh? 66.1-463 lb (30-210 kg)
How long are they? 58 in (147.3 cm)
How tall are they? More than 39.4 in (100 cm)
What do they look like? Reddish-brown with a black tail
Skin Type Fur
What were their main threats? Humans And Predatory Animals
What is their conservation status? Not Evaluated
Where you’ll find them? Forest And Coastal Woodlands
Locations Western North America
Kingdom Animalia
Genus Odocoileus
Class Mammalia
Family Cervidae
Fun Columbian Black-tailed Deer Facts For Kids
What do they prey on? Tender shoots and leaves
What do they eat? Herbivore
Average litter size? 1-3
How much do they weigh? 66.1-463 lb (30-210 kg)
How long are they? 58 in (147.3 cm)
How tall are they? More than 39.4 in (100 cm)
What do they look like? Reddish-brown with a black tail
Skin Type Fur
What were their main threats? Humans And Predatory Animals
What is their conservation status? Not Evaluated
Where you’ll find them? Forest And Coastal Woodlands
Locations Western North America
Kingdom Animalia
Genus Odocoileus
Class Mammalia
Family Cervidae
Fun Columbian Black-tailed Deer Facts For Kids
What do they prey on? Tender shoots and leaves
What do they eat? Herbivore
Average litter size? 1-3
How much do they weigh? 66.1-463 lb (30-210 kg)
How long are they? 58 in (147.3 cm)
How tall are they? More than 39.4 in (100 cm)
What do they look like? Reddish-brown with a black tail
Skin Type Fur
What were their main threats? Humans And Predatory Animals
What is their conservation status? Not Evaluated
Where you’ll find them? Forest And Coastal Woodlands
Locations Western North America
Kingdom Animalia
Genus Odocoileus
Class Mammalia
Family Cervidae
What do they prey on? Tender shoots and leaves
What do they eat? Herbivore
Average litter size? 1-3
How much do they weigh? 66.1-463 lb (30-210 kg)
How long are they? 58 in (147.3 cm)
How tall are they? More than 39.4 in (100 cm)
What do they look like? Reddish-brown with a black tail
Skin Type Fur
What were their main threats? Humans And Predatory Animals
What is their conservation status? Not Evaluated
Where you’ll find them? Forest And Coastal Woodlands
Locations Western North America
Kingdom Animalia
Genus Odocoileus
Class Mammalia
Family Cervidae
What do they prey on? Tender shoots and leaves
What do they eat? Herbivore
Average litter size? 1-3
How much do they weigh? 66.1-463 lb (30-210 kg)
How long are they? 58 in (147.3 cm)
How tall are they? More than 39.4 in (100 cm)
What do they look like? Reddish-brown with a black tail
Skin Type Fur
What were their main threats? Humans And Predatory Animals
What is their conservation status? Not Evaluated
What do they prey on?
Tender shoots and leaves
What do they eat?
Herbivore
Average litter size?
1-3
How much do they weigh?
66.1-463 lb (30-210 kg)
How long are they?
58 in (147.3 cm)
How tall are they?
More than 39.4 in (100 cm)
What do they look like?
Reddish-brown with a black tail
Skin Type
Fur
What were their main threats?
Humans And Predatory Animals
What is their conservation status?
Not Evaluated
Where you’ll find them? Forest And Coastal Woodlands
Locations Western North America
Kingdom Animalia
Genus Odocoileus
Class Mammalia
Family Cervidae
Where you’ll find them?
Forest And Coastal Woodlands
Locations
Western North America
Kingdom Animalia
Genus Odocoileus
Kingdom
Animalia
Genus
Odocoileus
Class Mammalia
Family Cervidae
