Mississippi State Land Mammal - White-Tailed Deer

Mississippi designated the white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) as official state land mammal in 1974 (along with Mississippi's state water mammal, the bottlenose dolphin). In 1997 the red fox was also recognized as a mammal symbol of Mississippi. An animal of incredible beauty and power, white-tailed deer are able to run up to 40 miles per hour, jump 9 foot fences, and swim 13 miles per hour. The white underside of the deer's tail waves when running and is flashed as a warning when danger is sensed. Both native Americans and settlers relied on the white-tailed deer for buckskin and food. Spotted newborn white-tailed deer fawn rests on dry grass photo by Tom Stehn / USFWS Digital Library The elegant white-tailed deer is the most popular official state mammal (11 states: Arkansas - Illinois - Michigan - Mississippi - Nebraska - New Hampshire - Ohio - Oklahoma - Pennsylvania - South Carolina - Wisconsin).


Source:	Mississippi Symbols: State of Mississippi Symbols The White-Tailed Deer: EEK Critter Corner
Links:	White-tailed Deer: Nature Works Free Photos: Nature of New England Forest Foods Deer Eat: MI Dept of Natural Resources White-tailed Deer: Animal Diversity Web; U of Michigan White-tailed Deer: Desert USA State Animals - Mammals: 50 States List