Page 134 - Allah's Gentle Artistry
P. 134

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                       Even though baby deer can stand up right after they
                   are born, they are essentially helpless and cannot walk until
                   later. So meanwhile, how are they protected from their ene-
                   mies?
                       Until it can run as fast as its mother, a baby deer's best

                   protection is to hide. Because of the dead-leaf color of its fur
                   and the spotted designs it is virtually invisible in its under-
                   brush environment. The mother deer hides its baby in the
                   forest where the white spots on the baby's reddish brown
                   fur blend with dappled sunlight. When its mother is away
                   foraging, the baby lies down and waits, motionless. Usually
                   the mother deer is always somewhere nearby but, to avoid
                   drawing attention to her baby, she rarely approaches it
                   closely except for short visits. 23
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