Footage of a group of rare huemul deer in Chile’s Patagonia has scientists excited, because the group represents a new subpopulation of the species. Also called the South Andean deer, the huemul deer is beloved in Chile, and, in fact, it’s part of the nation’s crest. Fundación Rewilding Chile recently shared footage of the rare deer and explained the finding’s significance.
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“Good news for the huemul! New subpopulation of the species confirmed in the southernmost tip of South America,” wrote Ladera Sur and Rewilding Chile in a joint Instagram post sharing the footage. “Rewilding Chile (@rewildingchile) confirmed the presence of a never-before-documented subpopulation of huemuls (Hippocamelus bisulcus) at Cabo Froward.”
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Researchers ultimately spotted a group of five huemul deer consisting of a dominant adult male, two young males, an adult female, and her young. They observed the animals for about an hour. The finding is important because there are only about 1,500 individuals left in the wild. They live in small populations across Chile and Argentina, and finding a new population suggests other groups may also exist.
See footage of the rare deer in Patagonia here:
Header stock image by O. Alamany & E. Vicens/Getty Images
