Outside the large back windows of Corte Madera Library deer can be observed grazing, napping and doing all things deer up close. One day a fawn was left unattended. The lone fawn was not abandoned, it was just waiting for lunch. I learned that deer do leave fawn behind while foraging for food. The dappled coat of a fawn is the perfect camouflage, making them hard for predators to spot. Even though I have seen deer my whole life, I did not know that much about them, until I started seeing them at the library.
In Marin, the deer we see are Black-tailed deer, a sub species of the mule deer. Tule Elk which belong to the Cervidae family (deer family) can be seen a Point Reyes National Seashore. It is the only national park where these native Californian elk can be seen. Fallow deer can also be seen at Point Reyes. This deer species is not native to California. They were purchased from the San Francisco Zoo and released into the wild in the 1940s before the Seashore was established.
Deer Island Preserve in Novato is a wonderful place for a hike and to observe herds of deer.
Deer are essential to the ecosystem. They are prey for larger predators, heavily influence vegetation through their diet, and disperse seeds through their droppings. What deer eat effects what other species eat. All of this makes them a keystone species here and throughout most of the world.
Check out the Marin Humane Society for tips on living with deer in your area. Bring deer beauty to your home by checking out Victoria Mimiage’s Here Deer painting at Marin City Library through the art lending program, On the Wall.
Learn more about these herbivores and the ways they survive in our world and add to it by checking out the books below:
Corte Madera Library will be doing a deer craft on Wednesday, November 13th at 3:30pm.
Contributed by Laura Kennett
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