The Dybowski’s Sika Deer (Cervus Nippon hortulorum) is a medium-sized ungulate (hoofed) mammal in the Cervidae family of deer. It is a cervid.
The Dybowski’s Sika Deer has light-brown fur. The colour becomes darker in winter. It has thin, delicate legs. The male, called a stag, has upright antlers. The female has a pair of black bumps on her forehead.
It can grow to 50-110 centimetres (20-43 inches) tall at the shoulder. Antlers can range from 28-45 centimetres (11-18 inches) to more than 80 centimetres (30 inches).
It is native to Russia, China, and the Korean Peninsula.
The Dybowski’s Sika Deer is usually nocturnal, active at night. It is an herbivorous grazer. It grazes on grass. Its main predators are tigers, wolves, and brown bears.
Some live alone while others are found in single-sex groups. The male is territorial. Territories are marked with a strong, musky odour.
The Dybowski’s Sika Deer is highly vocal, with over 10 individual sounds, ranging from soft whistles to loud screams.
The female, called a doe, is pregnant for 210 days, before giving birth to a single baby, called a fawn, which is nursed for up to 10 months.
The average lifespan is 15-18 years.
Location of photographs: Tashkent Zoo, Uzbekistan
Photographer: Martina Nicolls
Martina Nicolls: SIMILAR BUT DIFFERENT IN THE ANIMAL KINGDOM