White-tailed Deer – National Mammal of Honduras
On June 28, 1993 , the National Congress decreed the white-tailed deer ( Odocoileus virginianus ) as the national mammal of Honduras. It is now one of the patriotic symbols of Honduras.
As a measure to conserve our national fauna and especially our environment from excessive depredation, the sovereign National Congress of the Republic of Honduras issued executive decree number 36-93 in June 1993, which constitutes a symbol of our national fauna. The White-tailed Deer whose scientific name is Odocoileus virginianus, is one of the two species of deer that exist in Honduras and belongs to the artiodactyla order and the cervid family.
Habitat
It lives in plains and mountains rich in vegetation and can be found wherever there are vast pine forests; it remains solitary in its area and is almost always seen at night. It is ruminant reaches an average weight of 40 kg has a height of 73 cm. measured at the withers, by 140 cm. long including the tail.
Their diet is based on herbs, leaves, shoots, lichens, mosses and even fruits.
Only the males have antlers that fall off every year, they have a very sensitive sense of smell and are swimmers, their natural predators are the puma, the jaguar and human hunters.
National Mammal Day
In the schools of Honduras , the day of the Honduran National Mammal will be commemorated every June 28 to remember our responsibility in respecting and caring for our national fauna. It is also celebrated as the day of the Honduran National Bird for the Scarlet Macaw, both declared national symbols of Honduras.
In addition to Honduras, the Central American country of Costa Rica also declared the White-tailed Deer as a national symbol on May 2, 1995.
