Père David's deer

[After Père and Armand David (1826-1900), French missionary and naturalist.]

Elaphurus davidianus

TAXONOMY

Elaphurus davidianus Milne-Edwards, 1866, Chihli, China.

OTHER COMMON NAMES

English: Milu; French: Cerf du Pere David; German: David-shirsche; Spanish: Ciervo del padre David.

PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS

Rather large animal. Shoulder height: 47 in (120 cm); body length: 6–6.3 ft (180–190 cm); tail length: 20 in (50 cm); weight: males 500 lb (220 kg); females 300 lb (135 kg).

They look odd, like a combination of deer, camel, cow, and donkey: very long and slender head, small ears, long legs with long and narrow (cow-like) hooves adapted to soft, boggy ground, very long tail ended by a black tuft. Unlike all other deer, the brow's first tine of antlers is forked into backward points. Also unlike other deer, Pere David's deer can grow two pair of antlers during a year, shedding summer antlers in November and growing a new pair in January (to shed it in some weeks). Bulls have a mane under the neck. Coat in summer is reddish rust, and retains long wavy axial hairs yearlong. In winter, the colors change to gray with bright creamy underneath, and dorsal dark stripe.

DISTRIBUTION

One thousand years ago, they inhabited northeastern and east central China. In 1939, the last wild deer was shot near the Yellow Sea.

HABITAT

It is believed that original habitats were marshlands.

BEHAVIOR

Observations in game parks show that the deer like water, readily stay in water for many hours, are good swimmers. Live in bull clans and doe herds. Bulls fight during rut, using antlers, boxing by forelegs, and kicking with hind legs.

FEEDING ECOLOGY AND DIET

Feed on herbs and probably on aquatic plants.

REPRODUCTIVE BIOLOGY

Polygynous. Gestation period is nine months, does give birth to one, rarely, two fawns, that wean in 10–11 months. Sexual maturity appears at 14 months. Life expectancy is to 23 years.

CONSERVATION STATUS

Critically Endangered. Pere David's deer conservation is a classic story of joint efforts of scientists, enthusiastic conservationists, and game managers. To prevent the extinction of the species, owners of European zoos gathered 18 animals, good reproducers, in the Woburn Abbey Park in 1914; there, a population of 90 Pere David's deer was maintained. In spite of foraging problems caused by World Wars I and II, by 1946 the population numbers were 300. Today, hundreds of the deer are in breeding centers throughout the world. In 1986, deer were brought to China to Park Nan Hai-tsu, the center of their distribution a century ago. Reintroduction to the wilderness in a forest reserve near the Yellow Sea is expected soon.

SIGNIFICANCE TO HUMANS

Cultivated as park animals.

Chinese deer found only in zoos. Called also Elaphurus davidianus.

The noun has one meaning:

Meaning #1: large Chinese deer surviving only in domesticated herds
  Synonyms: elaphure, Elaphurus davidianus