PERE DAVID’S deer
Class: Mammals
Order: Artiodactyla
Family: Cervidae
Genus: Elaphurus
Species: Davidianus
Geographic distribution: China
Habitat: Swampy areas
Height: 120 cm at the shoulder
Longevity: 20 years
Weight: 220 kg
Sexual maturity: 2-3 years
Gestation: 9 months
Litter: 1 pup
Diet: Herbivore, grasses, leaves, young shoots, aquatic plants
Protection Status: IUCN Status CR – Extinct in the Wild
Description
The Chinese nicknamed him “sì bù xiàng”, which translates as “who looks like none of the four”. This curious name refers to its appearance: a camel’s neck, cow’shooves, a donkey’s tail and deer antlers turned backwards. Herds are made up of either males or females accompanied by their young. During the breeding season, males engage in fights to form a harem.
Threats and preservation
Discovered in 1865 by Father Armand David in the imperial gardens of Beijing, the Père David’s deerhad already disappeared from the wild. Some individuals were sent to European zoos, and in the1980s, herds from England were reintroduced to China. Today, more than 1,300 deer live in reserves intheir native country.
