Save the Florida Key Deer [Hardcover]

Margaret Goff Clark (Author)

Book Description

Age Level: 9 and up | Grade Level: 4 and up

The little deer of the Florida Keys are found nowhere else in the world. Related to the white-tailed deer, the Key deer is not much larger than a big dog. Today, it is an endangered species. There are no more than a few hundred left. The little deer wander through backyards and front lawns. Reduced speed limits are posted, but many deer get killed by automobiles. It is against the law to feed them. That makes them lose their natural fear of people and cars, and more likely to get killed. The National Key Deer Refuge was established on Big Pine Key in 1957, but more land is needed. People who live on the Keys like the little animals, and efforts are being made to find room for building developments and also enough space for Key deer to thrive.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Grade 4-7?This brief but engaging book deals with an endangered animal that may be familiar only to Floridians. While these dog-sized relatives of the more familiar white-tailed deer have lived on the Keys for thousands of years, there are now only a few hundred left and over 100 died in 1996 alone. The majority are killed in traffic, but handfeeding of the animals is the real problem as it alters their behavior and attracts them to populated areas. The history of this deer, from the first sighting noted in a log on one of Columbus's ships to the movement to save the Key deer that was spearheaded by an 11-year-old boy in 1947, is interesting and even inspirational. The eventual refuge that was formed due to Glenn Allen's persistence is the only reason there are still Key deer alive today, and is a positive example of democratic responsibility and action. Clark tells about the benefits of refuges; moves on to Key deer's lifestyle and behavior; and then to the problems they encounter, from hunters and dogs to storms and traffic. In spite of an insufficient map that depicts only the Keys on which the deer reside and no sign of the mainland, this title is an interesting addition for libraries looking for more on conservation.?Susan Oliver, Tampa-Hillsborough Public Library System, FL
Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Booklist

Gr. 3^-5. Approximately the size of a golden retriever but having the deer's distinctively graceful shape, the Florida Key deer is found only on the Florida Keys. Hunted almost into extinction, the animals numbered less than 100 by the late 1940s, but thanks to the combined efforts of a letter-writing 11-year-old boy and a courageous Wildlife Service agent who tracked down poachers, the herd has increased in size and now numbers 250 to 300. Although the blurry photographs don't add much, Clark's story of this engaging deer at odds with encroaching development makes a good choice for reports on an endangered species. Susan Dove Lempke

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 9 and up
  
• Hardcover: 48 pages
• Publisher: Dutton Juvenile; 1st edition (February 1, 1998)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0525652329
• ISBN-13: 978-0525652328
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 7.1 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 11.2 ounces
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,375,074 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.