While the pudu has such natural enemies as the fox, the puma, wildcats, and owls, its greatest foe is man. In the past, the little deer roamed more freely, using its speed and intelligence to elude predators. The pudu has been known to double back on its own tracks or to swim upriver to deceive a fox or a puma. But now, with the destruction of forests by man, the pudu’s domain is steadily shrinking. So the pudu has taken to living in tunnels made in the thick underbrush. Being a tidy animal, it has distinct places in its tunnels for eating, for sleeping, and for excreting, and it does not vary these throughout life. Familiarity with the tunnels is its key to survival. Although the pudu is a fast runner and a fairly rapid swimmer, it is easy prey in the open field. But this is not so within its tunnels where, one researcher says, “it flies like a bullet,” leaving behind the pursuer.

Although hunting the pudu is prohibited, some unscrupulous men have learned to catch or kill this peaceful little creature. These hunters are motivated by a desire for the animal’s rich fur, tasty meat, or the price foreign zoos are willing to pay for a healthy specimen. They have trained small dogs to flush the pudu out of the tunnels and into the open.

It was feared that the pudu would soon join the list of 68 species of mammals that have become extinct in this century. However, recent studies by one researcher working with the World Wildlife Foundation suggest that the pudu may be surviving after all. How? By learning to adapt to new circumstances with its tunnel system. This is not the case with the Chilean mountain lion, or puma, which is clearly in danger of extinction. How often it is true that in stressful or changing circumstances it is better to be adaptable and friendly than fierce and aggressive!

Let’s hope that the pudu can survive until the peaceful new system, when such creatures can leave their protective tunnels and come out into the open to enjoy freedom without fear.