Southern pudu  (Pudu puda)

The main threat to the southern pudu, which once ranged far more extensively across Chile, is destruction of its temperate forest habitat for cattle ranching, logging and other human developments (5) (8). Habitat fragmentation and loss through conversion of forest into open lands and exotic tree plantations poses a big problem to the survival of the southern pudu, as do road accidents and hunting. There is a technique used whereby feral or unleashed dogs are released into the countryside that specialise in hunting pudus (9) (10) (11). Other threats include the introduction of alien species, such as red deer from Europe, with which the pudu now have to compete for food (7). Domestic dogs may also prey upon this small deer (7), and transmit parasites, to which the southern pudu is particularly susceptible (8).

Its listing on Appendix I of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES), helps protect the southern pudu by banning all international trade in the species, but hunting nevertheless continues and still poses a serious threat (5) (8). Fortunately, the population in Chile has stabilised due to a reduction in the rate of habitat destruction. Pudu populations exist in a number of national parks which need sufficient resources to enforce protection and create effective management plans (8). An international captive breeding programme has been developed for the southern pudu, although there are no plans as yet to release captive-bred individuals back into the wild (8).