Mule Deer

Mule Deer, common name for a large deer  of the western and central United States, so called because of its extremely large ears, which measure almost 25 cm (almost 10 in) in length. This animal attains a height of 107 cm (42 in) at the shoulder. The name black-tailed deer  is sometimes applied to a subspecies of the mule deer inhabiting the Rocky Mountains. The tail of this deer along the basal two-thirds is white above and dark below; the terminal third is black.

Scientific classification: The mule deer belongs to the family Cervidae. It is classified as Odocoileus hemionus.

Mule Deer Microsoft® Encarta® Encyclopedia 2001. © 1993-2000 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.