North China Sika Deer
Encyclopedia
The North China Sika Deer or Mandarin Sika Deer (Cervus nippon mandarinus) is one of the many subspecies of Sika Deer
Sika Deer
The Sika Deer, Cervus nippon, also known as the Spotted Deer or the Japanese Deer, is a species of deer native to much of East Asia and introduced to various other parts of the world...

. It is a large subspecies with some of the most prominent spots of all subspecies, which is permanent throughout the year. It previously inhabits lowland forests of North China Plain
North China Plain
The North China Plain is based on the deposits of the Yellow River and is the largest alluvial plain of eastern Asia. The plain is bordered on the north by the Yanshan Mountains and on the west by the Taihang Mountains edge of the Shanxi plateau. To the south, it merges into the Yangtze Plain...

 and Northeast China Plain
Northeast China Plain
The Northeast China Plain , also known as the Manchurian Plain, is located in Northeast China. It lies between the Greater and Lesser Khinggan and Changbai mountains. Covering 350,000 km2, it is China's largest plain, with an elevation of lower than 200 meters...

. Due to intensive habitat alterations the subspecies was endangered centuries ago, surviving only in remote areas of northeastern China as well as the Qing
Qing Dynasty
The Qing Dynasty was the last dynasty of China, ruling from 1644 to 1912 with a brief, abortive restoration in 1917. It was preceded by the Ming Dynasty and followed by the Republic of China....

 Imperial Hunting Grounds. Though no surveys have been conducted on the subspecies' status, there have been no sightings for many decades and it is reasonable to presume that it is extinct in the wild
Extinct in the Wild
Extinct in the Wild is a conservation status assigned to species or lower taxa, the only known living members of which are being kept in captivity or as a naturalized population outside its historic range.-Examples:...

. Although it is fairly common in zoos and purebred North China sika deer is a valuable breed in the Asian antler farming industry, the lack of suitable habitats and government efforts makes reintroduction impossible.
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