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OCR for page 321
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Water Deer
Little is known about the water deer (Hydropotes
inermis), but it should be considered along with mouse
deer, muntjacs, musk deer, and others as a possible
species for microlivestock development. It is compa-
rable in size, and it is unusual among deer for producing
large litters; births of triplets or more are common.
As with the other species in this section, this is a highly speculative
notion; however, there is some justification for it. The Zoological
Society of London has successfully established breeding colonies, and
other zoos have also bred the animal in captivity. The water deer has
the advantage of rapid growth, early maturity, and high fecundity.
Indeed, given protection, its populations have been known to increase
rapidly.
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APPEARANCE AND SIZE
The animal has a graceful and delicate appearance, its best known
characteristic being the male's long tusks. Both sexes are about the
same size, standing 45-55 cm at the shoulder and weighing up to
19 kg. Body length is up to about 1 m, and the tail is so tiny that it is
barely noticeable. The round-tipped ears are characteristically held
erect above the head.
Water deer are somewhat like muntjacs, but they are longer in the
leg and lighter in build. Their forelegs are shorter than their hindlegs
so that they stand slightly higher at the haunches than at the shoulders.
This gives them a hunched appearance.
The hair is generally thick and coarse, longest on the flanks and
rump. The backs and sides are usually yellowish brown, finely stippled
with black. In winter, the coat is thick and variable in color; pale fawn
~ They are also known as Chinese water deer, Chinese river deer, or the Yangtze River
deer.
321
OCR for page 322
322
MICROLIVESTOCK
and peppery gray-brown are common shades. In summer, the coat is
sleek and reddish. Fawns are white spotted at birth, but this dappling
soon fades.
Neither sex has antlers. The upper canine teeth, especially in the
males, are enlarged, forming curved tusks 7 cm long. These are much
bigger than those in muntjacs and can protrude well below the jawline.
In both sexes there is a small inguinal gland present between the
hind legs, the only instance among deer.
DISTRIBUTION
In China the water deer has a wide distribution range. It is mainly
found in the provinces of Jiangsu, Zhejiang, Anhui, Jiangxi, Hunan,
Hubei, and Fujian, the mid and lower Yangtze River Basin, and coastal
areas and islands in central and eastern China. It is also found in
Guilin, southern Sichuan Province, Guangxi Province, and Guangdong
Province in the south.2
In Korea, the animal lives along the lower reaches of most rivers,
except those in the extreme northeast. Its northern limit of distribution
is probably about latitude 43°N.
At Woburn Park in England, a few escaped from a herd early this
century and have increased and become established in a number of
counties, particularly Bedfordshire, Hertfordshire, Cambridgeshire,
and Norfolk.
STATUS
In China, owing to increasing reclamation and cultivation of wetlands,
the habitat of the water deer is gradually shrinking. At present the
animal is protected by the government, which designates appropriate
hunting seasons. It is estimated that about 10,000 are killed each year
by hunters. In Korea the water deer is still plentiful. As noted, in
England it is maintaining itself and is thriving in some protected parks.
It is also reported to be present in France.
HABITAT AND ENVIRONMENT
In its home range, the water deer is usually found among reeds and
rushes in swampy areas. It also frequents the tall grasses and sparse
shrubs of mountainsides and cultivated fields. In England it has adapted
to a variety of habitats, including woodlands.
' Information from Lu Houi
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WATER DEER
Native range of the water deer.
BIOLOGY
323
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The water deer is chiefly a grazer. It feeds mainly on reeds, coarse
grasses, and some tree leaves.
As previously mentioned, this is the most prolific species of deer.
Up to seven fetuses have been observed in a single pregnant female,
although the normal litters are two or three. The gestation period is
about 176 days. Fawns are born in late spring or early summer, and
weigh only about 0.5 kg at birth. Within 4 days the newborns can live
almost exclusively on grasses. Usually, however, they are fully weaned
after =8 weeks, but remain socially attached to the mother. They
appear to become independent after about 4 months. Males become
sexually mature at about 5-6 months; females at about 7-8 months.3
BEHAVIOR
Water deer are generally seen alone. Even where abundant, they
seldom congregate in herds. Females are sometimes intolerant of each
other, as are adult males or young males. However, in captivity,
several females can graze and rest in loose aggregations. The peak
period of grazing activity occurs around dusk. Feeding sessions are
interspersed with periods of passive cud-chewing.
Water deer "bark" at intruders. During the rut, males are especially
noisy and aggressive, and defend their territories with vigor. Fighting
involves striking their tusks into the shoulder or back of their opponents.
3 Information from Lu Houji.
OCR for page 324
324
MICROLIVESTOCK
Mature buck, showing his long tusks and winter coat. (R. Hams and K.R. Duff)
These are extremely excitable little animals. When upset, they often
"hump" their backs and bound away like rabbits. They are also good
swimmers.
USES
In China the water deer are hunted for their meat and skins, and
newly born fawns are killed to obtain the mother's colostrum for
medicinal purposes. In a few localities in England, the species has
become a game animal.
HUSBANDRY
The water deer is not yet known on ''farms." However, it seems
to be easily kept, has bred well in zoos, and has thrived in many
British wildlife parks.
OCR for page 325
WATER DEER
ADVANTAGES
325
The assets of early maturity and high fecundity mean that the
potential exists for rapid population expansion. Such an event occurred
at Britain's Whipsnade Zoo. In 1929 and 1930, 32 deer were released
into undeveloped pasture; by 1937, 120 fawns had been raised.
Because they are relatively small, and because in the wild state they
aggregate only under exceptional conditions, water deer are unlikely
to have any appreciable impact on vegetation in forests, farms, or
gardens. Nonetheless, they can damage crops, and Chinese farmers,
who consider them pests, often illegally kill them out of season.
LIMITATIONS
These animals are swift and adept at escaping captivity. It is possible
that because of territoriality only a single pair will live in a given area.
Moreover, males are aggressive and must be kept apart.
They seem able to withstand chilly weather well, but a combination
of wet and cold is harmful. Their heavy winter coat, essential to
survival in the Far East, renders the animal susceptible to dehydration
and heat exhaustion in comparatively mild climates, such as England' s.
At birth, the tiny fawns are extremely vulnerable to a variety of
predators, both birds and mammals. The species may need areas of
dense cover or some shelter from wind.
RESEARCH AND CONSERVATION NEEDS
The water deer has been successfully kept in semicaptivity for many
years; however, for it to reach a level of domestication suitable for
use as microlivestock, research is needed in the following areas:
· Reproduction;
Performance under a range of environments;
Grazing efficiency;
Basic physiology;
· Captive breeding and domestication measurements of growth
rates, space requirements, and feed needs; and
· Modifying behavior to overcome territoriality-for instance, im-
printing on humans, selection of docile specimens, hand rearing, and
castration.
The water deer is not an endangered species; however, efforts should
be made to preserve the populations in their native ranges and habitats.
OCR for page 326
Representative terms from entire chapter:
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