Southern pudu
Puda Puda
We are home to three Southern pudus. Violetta and her fawn Gia, born in May 2024, and male Lorenzo, who arrived in late 2025.
The Southern pudu is the world’s smallest deer. Fully grown they reach only 15-inches tall and 12kg in weight. Fawns weight only 2kg a birth.
Native to Chile and Argentina, they are found in temperate rainforests and shrublands. Their reddish-brown fur blends into the forest, and their small size and strong legs help them create paths through thick vegetation.
They are classified as Vulnerable due to treats from deforestation and hunting.
Population
Decreasing
Diet
Herbivore
Habitat
Forest
Fact file
Southern pudu are the smallest species of deer in the world
Adults typically weigh between nine and 15kg
Males have short antlers that consist of a single spike measuring up to 10cm in length
These antlers are shed yearly in the summer
How we're helping
Like all the animals in our care Violetta and Gia are amazing ambassadors for their relatives in the wild and help hundreds of thousands of people connect with nature every year. They encourage visitors to learn about the threats facing wildlife and the action they can take to help create a world where nature is protected, valued and loved.
As a wildlife conservation charity, we care for the animals here at the zoo and work to protect species at risk around the world. From providing expertise in genetics and veterinary health, to protecting wild places with local conservation partners, and even restoring threatened species to the wild, we are active where we are needed most.
Find out more about RZSS conservation