The term endangered has become a much-used part of our vocabulary. But while most of us readily cite tigers, gorillas, and pandas as examples of endangered species, many other species are consistently overlooked-perhaps because they lack the romantic associations that people have with better-known mammals. Most Americans would probably not mention deer when discussing endangered species.

After all, white-tailed deer are so abundant in many places that we consider them a nuisance. However, 22 of the world's 40 deer species are listed as endangered by the World Conservation Union (IUCN).

All three subspecies of the Eld's deer ( Cervus eldi ) fall into this category. Now found only in forested pockets of India, Myanmar (formerly Burma), Cambodia, Laos, and Vietnam, they once inhabited a much more extensive range, including much of Thailand. Eld's deer have reddish brown coats, and are about the size of white-tailed deer, but their antlers are remarkably different. Occurring seasonally on males, the antlers sweep from front to back in one continuous curve.

About 50 members of the Eld's deer subspecies found in Myanmar live at the Zoo's 3,100-acre Conservation and Research Center (CRC) in Front Royal, Virginia. The first three Eld's deer arrived at the center in 1976, and the animals have proved to be a challenge ever since. Eld's deer are extremely excitable and will run about erratically, bumping into any obstacles in their path at the least disturbance. Scientists at CRC initially believed that the best approach to managing Eld's deer was to allow them to remain in herds in large pastures on the center's grounds. But monitoring and caring for deer using this type of system was difficult, and the deer would frequently injure themselves during routine, essential procedures.

Associate Director for Conservation Chris Wemmer began to develop new husbandry techniques for managing the Eld's deer. He explored aspects of nutrition and mother-fawn interactions, and then initiated a program to hand-rear some of the fawns. These animals could be more carefully monitored, but they continued to react badly to disturbances.

Biotechnician Linwood Williamson believed that the best way to reduce the deers' self-destructive response to disturbances was to acclimate them to as many different sights and sounds as possible. He began to carry a noisy key ring with him at all times and, over time, made sure the animals saw and heard lawn mowers, tractors, and cars. Eventually even a radio playing in the barn 24 hours a day didn't bother the deer.