Père David's Deer
Encyclopedia
Père David's Deer, Elaphurus davidianus, also known as the Milu , is a species
of deer
known only in captivity
. It prefers marsh
land, and is believed to be native to the subtropics of China
. It grazes on a mixture of grass
and water plants. It is the only extant member of the genus Elaphurus. Based on genetic
comparisons, Père David's Deer is closely related to the deer of the genus Cervus
, leading many experts to suggesting merging Elaphurus into Cervus, or demoting Elaphurus to a subgenus of Cervus.
period, and one or two fawns are born at a time. They reach maturity at about 14 months, and have been known to reach the age of 23 years.
Père David's Deer has a long tail
, wide hooves, and branched antler
s. Adults have summer coats that are bright red with a dark dorsal stripe, and dark gray winter coats. The calves are spotted.
It is very fond of water, and swims well, spending long periods standing in water up to its shoulders. Although a predominant grazing animal, the deer supplements its grass diet with water plants in the summer.
By this name, this undomesticated animal entered Chinese mythology as the mount of Jiang Ziya
in Fengshen Yanyi
(translated as Investiture of the Gods), a Chinese classical fiction written during the Ming Dynasty
.
This species of deer was first made known to Western science in 1865, by Father Armand David
(Père David), a French missionary working in China
. At the time, the only surviving herd was in the Imperial Hunting Park near Peking
, and belonging to the Chinese emperor.
Some time after that, a severe flood destroyed crops and broke open the hunting park, and many of the deer escaped and were killed and eaten by starving peasants.
The last Père David's Deer that remained in China were eaten in 1900 or 1901 by Western and Japanese troops during the suppression of the Boxer Rebellion
. That left the deer extinct in its native China.
Fortunately, before that, a few of the deer were illegally transported to European countries for exhibitional purpose, and bred there. After the remaining population in China was extirpated, the Duke of Bedford
was instrumental in saving the deer. He acquired the few remaining deer from European zoos and nurtured a herd at Woburn Abbey
. Threatened again by both World Wars, the milu were saved largely because of the Duke's determination to keep them alive.The current population stems from this herd. These deer are now found in zoos around the world. Two herds of Père David's Deer were reintroduced
to Nanhaizi Milu Park
, Beijing
, and Dafeng Reserve, Jiangsu
Province, China, in the late 1980s. From the Dafeng Reserve, a third herd was established at the Tian'ezhou Wetland Reserve, Hubei
Province in 1996. In spite of the small population size, the animals do not appear to suffer genetic problems from the genetic bottleneck.
When they were assessed for the IUCN Red List
(1996), they were classified as "critically endangered" in the wild, under criterion "D": "[wild] population estimated to number less than 50 mature individuals". As of the latest assessment in October 2008, they are now listed as extinct in the wild.
Species
In biology, a species is one of the basic units of biological classification and a taxonomic rank. A species is often defined as a group of organisms capable of interbreeding and producing fertile offspring. While in many cases this definition is adequate, more precise or differing measures are...
of deer
Deer
Deer are the ruminant mammals forming the family Cervidae. Species in the Cervidae family include white-tailed deer, elk, moose, red deer, reindeer, fallow deer, roe deer and chital. Male deer of all species and female reindeer grow and shed new antlers each year...
known only in captivity
Captivity (animal)
Animals that live under human care are in captivity. Captivity can be used as a generalizing term to describe the keeping of either domesticated animals or wild animals. This may include for example farms, private homes and zoos...
. It prefers marsh
Marsh
In geography, a marsh, or morass, is a type of wetland that is subject to frequent or continuous flood. Typically the water is shallow and features grasses, rushes, reeds, typhas, sedges, other herbaceous plants, and moss....
land, and is believed to be native to the subtropics of China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
. It grazes on a mixture of grass
Grass
Grasses, or more technically graminoids, are monocotyledonous, usually herbaceous plants with narrow leaves growing from the base. They include the "true grasses", of the Poaceae family, as well as the sedges and the rushes . The true grasses include cereals, bamboo and the grasses of lawns ...
and water plants. It is the only extant member of the genus Elaphurus. Based on genetic
Genetics
Genetics , a discipline of biology, is the science of genes, heredity, and variation in living organisms....
comparisons, Père David's Deer is closely related to the deer of the genus Cervus
Cervus
Cervus is a genus of deer that primarily are native to Eurasia, although one species occurs in northern Africa and another in North America. In addition to the species presently placed in this genus, it has included a whole range of other species now commonly placed in other genera, but some of...
, leading many experts to suggesting merging Elaphurus into Cervus, or demoting Elaphurus to a subgenus of Cervus.
Characteristics
Adults weigh 150-200 kg (330-440 pounds), and stand about 45 in (1.15 m) at the shoulders. They have a nine-month gestationGestation
Gestation is the carrying of an embryo or fetus inside a female viviparous animal. Mammals during pregnancy can have one or more gestations at the same time ....
period, and one or two fawns are born at a time. They reach maturity at about 14 months, and have been known to reach the age of 23 years.
Père David's Deer has a long tail
Long tail
Long tail may refer to:*The Long Tail, a consumer demographic in business*Power law's long tail, a statistics term describing certain kinds of distribution*Long-tail boat, a type of watercraft native to Southeast Asia...
, wide hooves, and branched antler
Antler
Antlers are the usually large, branching bony appendages on the heads of most deer species.-Etymology:Antler originally meant the lowest tine, the "brow tine"...
s. Adults have summer coats that are bright red with a dark dorsal stripe, and dark gray winter coats. The calves are spotted.
It is very fond of water, and swims well, spending long periods standing in water up to its shoulders. Although a predominant grazing animal, the deer supplements its grass diet with water plants in the summer.
Alternative Name
The species is sometimes nicknamed sibuxiang (Chinese: 四不像, pinyin: sì bú xiàng), literally meaning "four not alike", which could mean "the four unlikes" or "like none of the four"; it is variously said that the four are cow, deer, donkey, horse (or) camel, and that the expression means in detail:- "the hooves of a cow but not a cow, the neck of a camel but not a camel, antlers of a deer but not a deer, the tail of a donkey but not a donkey."
- "the nose of a cow but not a cow, the antlers of a deer but not a deer, the body of a donkey but not a donkey, tail of a horse but not a horse"
- "the tail of a donkey, the head of a horse, the hoofs of a cow, the antlers of a deer"
- "the neck of a camel, the hoofs of a cow, the tail of a donkey, the antlers of a deer"
- "the antlers of a deer, the head of a horse and the body of a cow"
By this name, this undomesticated animal entered Chinese mythology as the mount of Jiang Ziya
Jiang Ziya
Jiang Ziya was a Chinese historical and legendary figure who resided next to the Weishui River about 3,000 years ago. A sage and military strategist, Jiang Ziya was called upon by King Wen of Zhou to serve as prime minister...
in Fengshen Yanyi
Fengshen Yanyi
Fengshen Bang, also known as Fengshen Yanyi in Chinese, and translated as The Investiture of the Gods or The Creation of the Gods, is one of the major vernacular Chinese epic novels written during the Ming Dynasty...
(translated as Investiture of the Gods), a Chinese classical fiction written during the Ming Dynasty
Ming Dynasty
The Ming Dynasty, also Empire of the Great Ming, was the ruling dynasty of China from 1368 to 1644, following the collapse of the Mongol-led Yuan Dynasty. The Ming, "one of the greatest eras of orderly government and social stability in human history", was the last dynasty in China ruled by ethnic...
.
Population
Armand David
Father Armand David was a Lazarist missionary Catholic priest as well as a zoologist and a botanist.-General Biography:...
(Père David), a French missionary working in China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
. At the time, the only surviving herd was in the Imperial Hunting Park near Peking
Beijing
Beijing , also known as Peking , is the capital of the People's Republic of China and one of the most populous cities in the world, with a population of 19,612,368 as of 2010. The city is the country's political, cultural, and educational center, and home to the headquarters for most of China's...
, and belonging to the Chinese emperor.
Some time after that, a severe flood destroyed crops and broke open the hunting park, and many of the deer escaped and were killed and eaten by starving peasants.
The last Père David's Deer that remained in China were eaten in 1900 or 1901 by Western and Japanese troops during the suppression of the Boxer Rebellion
Boxer Rebellion
The Boxer Rebellion, also called the Boxer Uprising by some historians or the Righteous Harmony Society Movement in northern China, was a proto-nationalist movement by the "Righteous Harmony Society" , or "Righteous Fists of Harmony" or "Society of Righteous and Harmonious Fists" , in China between...
. That left the deer extinct in its native China.
Fortunately, before that, a few of the deer were illegally transported to European countries for exhibitional purpose, and bred there. After the remaining population in China was extirpated, the Duke of Bedford
Herbrand Russell, 11th Duke of Bedford
Herbrand Arthur Russell, 11th Duke of Bedford KG KBE DL LLD FRS FSA was the son of Francis Russell, 9th Duke of Bedford.-Family:...
was instrumental in saving the deer. He acquired the few remaining deer from European zoos and nurtured a herd at Woburn Abbey
Woburn Abbey
Woburn Abbey , near Woburn, Bedfordshire, England, is a country house, the seat of the Duke of Bedford and the location of the Woburn Safari Park.- Pre-20th century :...
. Threatened again by both World Wars, the milu were saved largely because of the Duke's determination to keep them alive.The current population stems from this herd. These deer are now found in zoos around the world. Two herds of Père David's Deer were reintroduced
Reintroduction
Reintroduction is the deliberate release of a species into the wild in zones formerly inhabited by said species but where it has disappeared from for a number of reasons, from captivity or relocated from other areas where the species still survives in...
to Nanhaizi Milu Park
Milu Yuan
Milu Park, or Milu Yuan , is a large public park located in southern Beijing, China.It is a public park and an ecological research center that serves as a natural park for animals in Beijing. Among the attractions are the milu deer, a deer creature that became almost extinct in China toward the end...
, Beijing
Beijing
Beijing , also known as Peking , is the capital of the People's Republic of China and one of the most populous cities in the world, with a population of 19,612,368 as of 2010. The city is the country's political, cultural, and educational center, and home to the headquarters for most of China's...
, and Dafeng Reserve, Jiangsu
Jiangsu
' is a province of the People's Republic of China, located along the east coast of the country. The name comes from jiang, short for the city of Jiangning , and su, for the city of Suzhou. The abbreviation for this province is "苏" , the second character of its name...
Province, China, in the late 1980s. From the Dafeng Reserve, a third herd was established at the Tian'ezhou Wetland Reserve, Hubei
Hubei
' Hupeh) is a province in Central China. The name of the province means "north of the lake", referring to its position north of Lake Dongting...
Province in 1996. In spite of the small population size, the animals do not appear to suffer genetic problems from the genetic bottleneck.
When they were assessed for the IUCN Red List
IUCN Red List
The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species , founded in 1963, is the world's most comprehensive inventory of the global conservation status of biological species. The International Union for Conservation of Nature is the world's main authority on the conservation status of species...
(1996), they were classified as "critically endangered" in the wild, under criterion "D": "[wild] population estimated to number less than 50 mature individuals". As of the latest assessment in October 2008, they are now listed as extinct in the wild.
Literature
- Robert TwiggerRobert TwiggerRobert Twigger is a British poet, writer and explorer. He lives in Cairo, Egypt.-Life:Twigger was educated at Balliol College, Oxford University. He first began to study engineering, but after six weeks switched to politics, philosophy and economics. His attendance record was poor, and he left...
, The Extinction Club (William Morrow, 2001). ISBN 0688175392 This is an account of the author's research into the Milu. - The New Funk & Wagnalls Illustrated Wildlife Encyclopedia: Volume 16 (1980). ISBN 0-8343-0035-4.
- Gerald DurrellGerald DurrellGerald "Gerry" Malcolm Durrell, OBE was a naturalist, zookeeper, conservationist, author and television presenter...
, Encounters with Animals (Penguin, 1963).
External links
- ARKive - images and movies of the Pere David’s deer (Elaphurus davidianus)
- Père David's Deer at Animal Diversity Web
- The seemingly endless weirdosity of the Milu at Scientific American