collars. The pest was declared as eradicated in April 2017. The outbreak killed 135 deer, roughly an eighth of the herd. Conservation efforts Conservation efforts include the establishment of the National Key Deer Refuge, which consists of about on Big Pine, No Name Key, and several smaller uninhabited islands. Not all of the refuge lands are protected as public lands; despite extensive efforts of the refuge to purchase these private habitat lands for protection in the refuge, about currently remain in private ownership and can potentially be developed. About of this privately developable land is on Big Pine Key and No Name Key, which are the central population areas for the deer. In 2006, a habitat conservation plan was enacted by Monroe County and the US Fish and Wildlife Service, which will limit development in primary habitat and provide for additional habitat purchases over the next 15 years. At the end of this period, however, most of the of privately owned habitat land on Big Pine and No Name Keys will still be open for further development. Thus, while the short term promises some cushion from extinction, the long-term prospects for the deer remain in doubt. A portion of U.S. Route 1 was also elevated in 2003 to allow the deer to pass safely beneath the roadway, in an attempt to lessen the chance of road kills. However, no decrease in total traffic deaths has been seen. The National Key Deer Refuge encourages people to help keep the Key deer wild by not feeding them. Feeding acclimates them to humans and vehicles, and makes them more likely to be hit and killed by vehicles. Also, hanging around people and developed areas in higher than normal densities makes them more susceptible to diseases, dog attacks, and entanglements in human trash, all of which can lead to increased injuries or death. On August 2019, the USFWS initiated a discussion for removing key deer from the Endangered status given its improved numbers and elevated status, but the initiative did not reach any final conclusion. References Further reading Listed as Endangered (EN D v2.3) Authorities: Habitat Conservation Plan, 2006; FWS Biological Opinion on NFIP, August 2008 External links National Fish and Wildlife Service species account National Key Deer Refuge site Key Deer Research Project Key Deer Information Key Deer at floridaconservation.org White-tailed deer Mammals described in 1922 Florida Keys Monroe County, Florida Endemic fauna