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Faizan
White-tailed deer, members of the order Artiodactyla, usually inhabit hardwood forests, forest edges, streams, marshes and brushy areas. The male deer is called a buck and typically weighs about 300 pounds while the female is called a doe is smaller at approximately 110 pounds. White-tailed deer change their color from red-brown in summer to gray-brown in the winter and show specific hoof adaptations to the environment.
Glands
White-tailed deer have metatarsal and tarsal glands on their feet. These glands are found on the deer's hind legs. They use the tarsal gland on the inner surface of the hind legs to identify individual deers while the metatarsals on the lower outer surface of the hind legs help in controlling the deer's temperature. The secretions from the glands on the feet serve to describe a deer's health and breeding condition. The secretions can also describe the social status of the deer. They do this by using urine to wash their scent from the metatarsal glands to a scrape made on a tree.
Sharp Hooves
The white-tailed deer has sharp hooves which are used as defensive weapons for fighting predators, which include humans. The hooves at the front are longer than the rear hooves and the deer is likely to use the front hooves more than the rear ones. It can easily kill a wolf with a blow from the front hooves. The deer also utilizes the sharp hooves to make scrapes in trees to mark their scent during the mating seasons and to dig for food.
Long Legs
The legs of a white-tailed deer are adapted to enhance running and leaping. They can run at about 30 miles per hour and jump at a remarkable height of 10 feet. Their legs have powerful muscles and ligaments which provide extra spring and increase the speed and thrust in a deer's stride. The outer layer of the hoof is strong and this helps absorb the shock as the deer lands on the ground. The hoof's inner surface is softer and tougher to provide cushion and traction on harder surfaces. These deer seldom fall except when the terrain is covered by ice. Their ability to run incredibly fast is part of what protects them from predators.
Foot Stomp
When a white-tailed deer senses there is danger lurking or something is amiss in the vicinity, it will raise its front legs and stomp forcefully on the ground. This is done to startle the dangerous creature or individual and to alert and warn other deer nearby. Inter digital glands located between the deer's hooves secrete a scent as the deer stomps its feet. This scent will warn other deers that pass the location later that there was danger here.
Glands
White-tailed deer have metatarsal and tarsal glands on their feet. These glands are found on the deer's hind legs. They use the tarsal gland on the inner surface of the hind legs to identify individual deers while the metatarsals on the lower outer surface of the hind legs help in controlling the deer's temperature. The secretions from the glands on the feet serve to describe a deer's health and breeding condition. The secretions can also describe the social status of the deer. They do this by using urine to wash their scent from the metatarsal glands to a scrape made on a tree.
Sharp Hooves
The white-tailed deer has sharp hooves which are used as defensive weapons for fighting predators, which include humans. The hooves at the front are longer than the rear hooves and the deer is likely to use the front hooves more than the rear ones. It can easily kill a wolf with a blow from the front hooves. The deer also utilizes the sharp hooves to make scrapes in trees to mark their scent during the mating seasons and to dig for food.
Long Legs
The legs of a white-tailed deer are adapted to enhance running and leaping. They can run at about 30 miles per hour and jump at a remarkable height of 10 feet. Their legs have powerful muscles and ligaments which provide extra spring and increase the speed and thrust in a deer's stride. The outer layer of the hoof is strong and this helps absorb the shock as the deer lands on the ground. The hoof's inner surface is softer and tougher to provide cushion and traction on harder surfaces. These deer seldom fall except when the terrain is covered by ice. Their ability to run incredibly fast is part of what protects them from predators.
Foot Stomp
When a white-tailed deer senses there is danger lurking or something is amiss in the vicinity, it will raise its front legs and stomp forcefully on the ground. This is done to startle the dangerous creature or individual and to alert and warn other deer nearby. Inter digital glands located between the deer's hooves secrete a scent as the deer stomps its feet. This scent will warn other deers that pass the location later that there was danger here.
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