DEER: India has the maximum number of deer species in the world.  They inhabit almost all types of habitats except for the drier areas of the country.  They form an important link in the food chain as they provide important food resource to the large carnivores.

TYPES OF DEER:

1. HANGUL [Cereus elephas hangout]: The hang-up, or Kashmir stag as it is commonly known, is one of the two ‘races’ (individual of the species separated by a geographical barrier) in India of the red deer of Europe.  Its coat ranges from dark brown two lighter shades in the under-parts.  It’s only found on the Northern side of the Kashmir Valley.  One of the best places to see them in the wild is in the Dachigam National Park in the Jammu & Kashmir.  Hangul are essentially forest dwellers well adapted to cold, and is found singly or in small parties.  After shedding their antlers in March-April, most stags go up hill and congregate about the ‘snow-line’ (A geographical demarcation in the mountains, beyond which there is permanent snow).  They spent the summer at an elevation of 2800-3500 m.  rutting commences in October and until last December.  Fawns, usually one, are born in May.

2. SANGAI [Cervus eldi eldi]: Sangai are also known as thamin, brow antlered deer and dancing deer.  It is one of the beautiful          deer and is found only in certain pockets of Manipur in Northeast India.  It is unique in possessing antlers that almost seem to          project from the bow.  It lives on marshy grounds and floating vegetation known locally as phurndis.  Unfortunately, today their          entire population is confined to Loktak Lake of Manipur.  Sangai live in small herds and feed during the early hours of morning          and late in the evening.  Speed and sight are their main protection.  The rut usually develops between March and April.  The          fawns usually one is born in October.

3, MUSK DEER [Moschus moschiferus]: Musk deer are among the most sought after deer.  The inhabit the dense forests of the         Himalayas.  Their prized possession, the musk pod, is a source of musk commercially exploited.  This has resulted in heavy         persecution of the animal from most of its parts distribution.

  Behavior: Musk deer live singly, or in pairs, and are generally found within oak above the pine tree zone.  During the winters, they Come to lower altitudes, but always stay in thick cover.  They scrape out a shallow from in, which they lie concealed, coming out to feed in the mornings and evenings.  Food consists of grass, lichens, leaves and flowers.

Family: Not much is known about their breeding habit in the wild.  The breeding season is believed to be in January, and the offspring’s, usually one, is born in June.

Facts: Musk deer fall between deer and antelopes.  It is hornless, and has no facial glands generally present in all deer, and it has a gall bladder, which no other deer possesses.  It also has unique musk gland situated beneath the skin of the male’s abdomen.  This secretes musk that helps in marking territory and helping females locate males during the breeding season.  The absence of horns is compensated for by the development of the canine teeth, particularly in the males

The Chital, or spotted deer, is amongst the most widely distributed deer of the Indian sub-continent.           Indeed, it is also one of the most beautiful of all deer in the world.

Behavior: Its watchful and alert behavior, seeking safety in numbers, coupled with a high rate of reproduction and ecological         adaptability, has enabled it to attain its current safe status.  They are seen in herds of 10-30, but groups of several hundreds         are also found.  Chital do not shun the proximity of villages, but enter cultivated areas, and frequently associate with forest          animals, particularly monkeys.  They are less ‘nocturnal’ (Active during the night) than Sambhar, and feed until late in the          morning and again in the afternoon, and lie down in the interval in some shady spot.

 Family: The breeding season varies in different localities.  In Madhya Pradesh and South India, it is usually in August and          September, while in north India it is much earlier.  Pairing takes place from May-November.  Usually one fawn is born at a          time.  Chital are profile breeders, and an interval of six months may see the production of a new family.  Facts: Its coat is a          bright refocus-brown, profusely spotted with white, at all ages and in all seasons.  The antlers are branched thrice in mature          males.  They are shed periodically just before the rutting season.  They are found in the forests at the foothills of the                         Himalayas and practically throughout the peninsula, wherever there is a jungle combined with good grazing and plentiful supply  of water and                        

This is the largest deer, with the grandest antlers.  It is fully adapted to a forest life.  Their size and color varies with the area in which they are found.  Sambhar are among the largest and most magnificent animals to be seen in the Himalayan foothills.

Behavior: Forested hillsides, preferably near cultivation, are their favorite haunt.  Their food consists of grass, leaves, and various kinds of wild fruit.  They feed mainly at night and retire at daybreak.  Sense of sight is moderate, while the hearing and smell is acute.

Family: In central and southern India, most stags cast (drop) tier antlers between end-March and mid-April.  Males fight for territory.  Takes place in November-December.  The young are born in May-June.  Facts: It is a typical forest deer of Southeast Asia.  The coat is dull brown, coarse and shaggy, the stag forms a mane about the neck and throat.  At its summit, the antler forms almost two equal tines or branches.  It is found throughout the forests of India.

6. BARASINGHA [Cervus duvaucelli]: Also known as the swamps deer, it is specially adapted to the alluvial and ‘riparian’ (Riverine) grasslands of northern and central India.  It suffered a drastic decline in the 1960s because of habitat loss, but a series of conservation efforts such as effective protection and creation of National Parks and Sanctuaries have yielded good results.

Behavior: In Assam and Uttar Pradesh, the Braising continue to remain almost partial to their grassland habitat.  In Madhya Pradesh, they do move into the ‘sale’ (A type of timber tree dominating in North India) forests, especially in early autumn.  They are highly gregarious, and may form herds of as many as 1,000 animals.  They feed until late in the morning, again in the evening and rest during the day.  Their eyesight and hearing are moderate and heir sense of smell acute.

Family: The stags are not territorial, and the male stag’s hierarchy and dominance is achieved more by display than actual combat.  Usually one offspring is born at a time.

Facts: The coat almost wooly in texture shades from brown to yellowish brown.  The stags are maned and darker in color.  Three sub-species occur today mainly in Dudhwa National Park and adjoining areas in Uttar Pradesh, Manas and Kaziranga National Parks in Assam and in Kanha national Park in Madhya Pradesh.

 Behavior, Family and Facts of DEER:

BEHAVIOR: A deer’s means of escape are alertness, a premonition of danger, quickened by a keen sense of scent, hearing and sight.  Protection is also derived from gregarious habits, although some may be solitary.  They usually in habit grasslands and forests and are not found in the desert.  They feed on grass, fruits, leaves and shoots of young plants. At higher altitude, deer species such as musk deer and Hangul are known to survive on dried leaves and lichens during the harsh winters.

FAMILY: In India, most deer begin their family life during the monsoon or immediately after it, when optimum conditions prevail.  The older males come into ‘rut’ (peak breeding season) first in comparison to the younger males.  The times of the rut and calving are so aligned that most young are born when conditions are most propitious.  The young are striped or spotted, and are agile even when a few minutes old.  Of