Discussion
This is the first study to document the genetic diversity of the white-tailed deer population on St. John. This population is characterized by a small number of animals in its founder population, a lack of hunting or predation, and a recent extended drought. Despite these factors, the levels of heterozygosity for this population were unexpectedly high when compared to those of mainland populations, and there was no evidence of inbreeding. We propose three potential hypotheses in an attempt to explain the level of heterozygosity currently seen within the St. John deer population.