What kind of deer has vampire fangs? Chinese Water Deer. These incredible deer are vulnerable in their native country of China however, thanks to a few zoo escapees, Chinese Water Deer have also found a home in England where a small population has established itself.
Habitat
Chinese Water Deer naturally live in China in wet, marshy habitats. They enjoy living around tall rushes and weeds that live river banks.
A small population of Chinese Water Deer also live in England throughout Norfolk, Suffolk, Cambridgeshire, Buckinghamshire and Bedfordshire. The reason they are found so far from their natural habitat, is that in 1929, a few Chinese Water Deer escaped from Whipsnade Zoo in England, establishing a small population. In more recent years, the escape of more deer and then the release of some has caused the population to rise to 10% of the entire population of Chinese Water Deer.
Description
Ginger/brown in colour and with short tails, Chinese Water Deer also have large fluffy ears and a small black nose. One of their most easily identifiable features is the tusks that males grow.
Due to their riverside habitat, Chinese Water Deer are strong swimmers and have no antlers.
Rising to a max of 55cm at the shoulder and weighing between 11 and 18kg, Chinese Water Deer are small for deer.
When born, Chinese Water Deer are so small they could fit into a mans hand!
Diet
Chinese Water Deer are rather picky about their diets and will only eat soft herbs, forbs and tender grasses.
Threats
Since the extinction of the Korean Tiger and the Korean Leopards, Chinese Water Deer have no natural threats. In England fawns are hunted by foxes and crows.
Considering that the Chinese Water Deer has no natural predators, but are threatened and declining, we can assume that humans are a large part in the decline of these interesting mammals. Some main threats that humans provide include poaching and habitat loss.
How to help??
Recommended conservation efforts, according to the ICUN Red List, include a control on poaching, creation of new protected areas for Chinese Water Deer and an increase of nature reserves to help prevent habitat loss.
References
ICUN Red List - https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/10329/22163569
Wikipedia - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Water_deer
Wildlife Trusts - https://www.wildlifetrusts.org/wildlife-explorer/mammals/chinese-water-deer
Britannica - https://www.britannica.com/animal/Chinese-water-deer
The British Deer Society - https://www.bds.org.uk/information-advice/about-deer/deer-species/chinese-water-deer/
Norfolk Wildlife Trust - https://www.norfolkwildlifetrust.org.uk/wildlife-in-norfolk/species-explorer/mammals/chinese-water-deer
Game and Wildlife Conservation Trust - https://www.gwct.org.uk/research/long-term-monitoring/national-gamebag-census/mammal-bags-comprehensive-overviews/chinese-water-deer/
Animal Spot - https://www.animalspot.net/chinese-water-deer.html
Chinese Water Deer naturally live in China in wet, marshy habitats. They enjoy living around tall rushes and weeds that live river banks.
A small population of Chinese Water Deer also live in England throughout Norfolk, Suffolk, Cambridgeshire, Buckinghamshire and Bedfordshire. The reason they are found so far from their natural habitat, is that in 1929, a few Chinese Water Deer escaped from Whipsnade Zoo in England, establishing a small population. In more recent years, the escape of more deer and then the release of some has caused the population to rise to 10% of the entire population of Chinese Water Deer.
Description
Ginger/brown in colour and with short tails, Chinese Water Deer also have large fluffy ears and a small black nose. One of their most easily identifiable features is the tusks that males grow.
Due to their riverside habitat, Chinese Water Deer are strong swimmers and have no antlers.
Rising to a max of 55cm at the shoulder and weighing between 11 and 18kg, Chinese Water Deer are small for deer.
When born, Chinese Water Deer are so small they could fit into a mans hand!
Diet
Chinese Water Deer are rather picky about their diets and will only eat soft herbs, forbs and tender grasses.
Threats
Since the extinction of the Korean Tiger and the Korean Leopards, Chinese Water Deer have no natural threats. In England fawns are hunted by foxes and crows.
Considering that the Chinese Water Deer has no natural predators, but are threatened and declining, we can assume that humans are a large part in the decline of these interesting mammals. Some main threats that humans provide include poaching and habitat loss.
How to help??
Recommended conservation efforts, according to the ICUN Red List, include a control on poaching, creation of new protected areas for Chinese Water Deer and an increase of nature reserves to help prevent habitat loss.
References
ICUN Red List - https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/10329/22163569
Wikipedia - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Water_deer
Wildlife Trusts - https://www.wildlifetrusts.org/wildlife-explorer/mammals/chinese-water-deer
Britannica - https://www.britannica.com/animal/Chinese-water-deer
The British Deer Society - https://www.bds.org.uk/information-advice/about-deer/deer-species/chinese-water-deer/
Norfolk Wildlife Trust - https://www.norfolkwildlifetrust.org.uk/wildlife-in-norfolk/species-explorer/mammals/chinese-water-deer
Game and Wildlife Conservation Trust - https://www.gwct.org.uk/research/long-term-monitoring/national-gamebag-census/mammal-bags-comprehensive-overviews/chinese-water-deer/
Animal Spot - https://www.animalspot.net/chinese-water-deer.html