The small deer looked like a yearling and was attemting to fit into the routines of life as a male Key Deer as he tentatively approached the older buck and licked him.
The deer act like they like being licked. It’s like, “You rub my back and I’ll rub yours!”
Last but not least, I came across this dying deer at the end of a very reinforcing photo shoot. Although death is part of life on this refuge, it was still difficult not to feel sadness looking upon the tiny does eyes, and feeling helpless to do anything except document her short life. UPDATE May 1: A man came into the center very upset because he saw this deer and did not want to watch it die. The ranger and biologist went to check it out. I never asked what happened but did not see the little sick deer again. I did see her friends and spoke my condolences.
