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{{Short description|Species of mammals belonging to the deer
{{Speciesbox
| name = Water deer
| image = Hydropotes inermis male.JPG
| image_caption = Male water deer at the [[Whipsnade Zoo]]
| image2 = Chinese water deer with her two fawn's (42269652764).png
| image2_caption = Female and fawn at [[Hickling, Norfolk]]
| status = VU
| status_system = IUCN3.1
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| display_parents = 2
| range_map = Range of water deer.png
| range_map_caption = Range of
}}
The '''water deer''' ('''''Hydropotes inermis''''') is a small deer species native to [[
==Taxonomy==
There are two [[subspecies]]: the
==Etymology==
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==Habitat and distribution==
[[File:Gorani (Korean water deer) (Hydropotes inermis).jpg|thumb|Korean water deer]]
Archeological studies indicate water deer was once distributed among much broader range than currently during the [[Pleistocene]] and the [[Holocene]] periods; records have been obtained from eastern [[Tibet]] in the west, [[Inner Mongolia]] and northeastern [[China]] in the north, southeastern [[Korean Peninsula]] (Holocene) and [[Japanese archipelago]] (Pleistocene) in the east, southern China and northern [[Vietnam]] in the south.<ref>C. M. Stimpson, S. O'Donnell, N. T. M. Huong, R. Holmes, B. Utting, T. Kahlert, R. J. Rabett, 2021, [https://royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/10.1098/rsos.210529 Confirmed archaeological evidence of water deer in Vietnam: relics of the Pleistocene or a shifting baseline?], [[Royal Society Open Science]], Vol. 8, Issue 6</ref> Water deer also inhabited [[Taiwan]] historically, however this population presumably became extinct as late as the early 19th century.<ref>Yen-Jean Chen, Ke-Hung Liu, Whei-Lee Chu, 2017, [https://libknowledge.nmns.edu.tw/nmns/upload/bulletin/000000226/209000c/201712-23.pdf New Record of Water Deer (''Hydropotes inermis'') from Iron Age Archeological Sites in Central Taiwan] (pdf), Collection and Research (2017) 30, pp.23-31</ref>
Water deer are indigenous to the lower reaches of the [[Yangtze River]], coastal [[Jiangsu]] province ([[Yancheng Coastal Wetlands]]), and islands of [[Zhejiang]] of east-central China, and in Korea, where the [[Korean Demilitarized Zone|demilitarized zone]] has provided a protected habitat for a large number. The Korean water deer (''Hydropotes inermis argyropus'') is one of the two subspecies of water deer. While the population of Chinese subspecies is critically endangered in China, the Korean subspecies are known to
Water deer inhabit the land alongside rivers, where they are protected from sight by the tall reeds and rushes. They are also seen on mountains, [[swamp]]s, [[grassland]]s, and even open cultivated fields. Water deer are proficient swimmers, and can swim several miles to reach remote river islands. An introduced population of Chinese water deer exists in the [[United Kingdom]] and another was extirpated from [[France]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://prezi.com/w7oqdthnkkll/hydropotes-inermis/ |title=''Hydropotes inermis'' by Trevon Jones on Prezi |access-date=4 November 2014 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141105001638/http://prezi.com/w7oqdthnkkll/hydropotes-inermis/ |archive-date=5 November 2014}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.hows.org.uk/inter/birds/exotics/emam.htm |title=European Mammals - Non native and Introduced Species |publisher=Hows.org.uk |access-date=4 June 2018}}</ref>
===South Korea===
Despite a listing of
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|Deer kill (hunting){{citation needed|reason= personal blog is unreliable. This statistic appears to come from '유해야생동물의 구제효과 분석 및 관리 모니터링 기법 연구 (2011-2016)' so refer to that one|date=August 2024}}
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[[File:Hydropotes inermis inermis Whipsnade Zoo (crop).jpg|thumb|Chinese water deer (''Hydropotes inermis inermis'') at the [[Whipsnade Zoo]]]]
Chinese water deer were first introduced into [[Great Britain]] in the 1870s. The animals were kept in the [[London Zoo]] until 1896, when [[Herbrand Russell, 11th Duke of Bedford|the Duke of Bedford]] oversaw their transfer to [[Woburn Abbey]], [[Bedfordshire]]. More of the animals were imported and added to the herd over the next three decades. In 1929 and 1930, 32 deer were transferred from Woburn to [[Whipsnade]], also in Bedfordshire, and released into the park. The current population of Chinese water deer at Whipsnade is
The majority of the current population of Chinese water deer in Britain derives from escapees, with the remainder being descended from many deliberate releases. Most of these animals still reside close to Woburn Abbey. It appears that the deer's strong preference for a particular habitat – tall reed and grass areas in rich alluvial deltas - has restricted its potential to colonize further afield. The main area of distribution is from Woburn east into [[Cambridgeshire]], [[Norfolk]], [[Suffolk]] and North [[Essex]], and south towards Whipsnade. There have been small colonies reported in other areas.{{citation needed|date=May 2012}}
The British Deer Society coordinated a survey of wild deer in the United Kingdom between 2005 and 2007 and
===France===
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=== Russia ===
On April 1, 2019, a water deer was spotted using a [[Camera trap|photo trap]] in the [[Land of the Leopard National Park|"Land of the Leopard" national park]] in the [[Khasansky District|Khasan district]] of [[Primorsky Krai]], Russia, 4.5
==Morphology==
===Physical attributes===
[[File:Chinese water deer (Hydropotes inermis) skeleton at the Royal Veterinary College anatomy museum.JPG|thumb|The skeleton of a water deer at the [[Royal Veterinary College]]
{|class="wikitable"
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|77.5–100 cm<ref name=ADW>{{Cite news|title=''Hydropotes inermis'' (Chinese water deer)|url=https://animaldiversity.org/accounts/Hydropotes_inermis/|publisher=Animal Diversity Web|access-date=27 August 2019}}</ref>
|42–65 cm<ref name=mammalsociety>{{Cite news|title=Species – Chinese Water Deer|url=https://www.mammal.org.uk/species-hub/full-species-hub/discover-mammals/species-chinese-water-deer/|publisher=The Mammal Society|access-date=20 October 2020}}</ref>
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|9–14 kg
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|2.
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|2.
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The water deer has narrow pectoral and pelvic girdles, long legs, and a long neck. The powerful hind legs are longer than the front legs so that the haunches are carried higher than the shoulders. They run with rabbit-like jumps.{{citation needed|date=December 2017}} In the groin of each leg is an [[inguinal gland]] used for scent marking;<ref>Sun, Lixing, Bing Xiao, and Nianhua Dai. "[http://rcin.org.pl/Content/12272/BI002_2613_Cz-40-2_Acta-T39-nr19-177-184_o.pdf Scent marking behaviour in the male Chinese water deer]." Acta theriologica 39.2 (1994): 177-184.</ref> this deer is the only member of the [[Deer|Cervidae]] to possess such glands. The short tail is no more than
The coat is an overall golden brown color and may be interspersed with black hairs, while the undersides are white. The strongly tapered face is reddish-brown or gray, and the chin and upper throat are cream-colored. The hair is longest on the flanks and rump. In the fall, the summer coat is gradually replaced by a thicker, coarse-haired winter coat that varies from light brown to grayish brown. Neither the head nor the tail poles are well differentiated as in gregarious deer; consequently, this deer's coat is little differentiated. Young are born dark brown with white stripes and spots along their upper [[torso]].{{citation needed|date=May 2012}}
===Teeth===
[[File:Chinese water deer Stuffed specimen 2.jpg|thumb|A stuffed specimen of ''H. inermis'' at the [[National Museum of Nature and Science]], [[Tokyo]],
The water deer have developed long canine teeth which protrude from the upper jaw like the canines of [[musk deer]]. The canines are fairly large in the bucks, ranging in length from {{cvt|5.5|cm|in}} on average to as long as {{cvt|8|cm|in}}. Does, in comparison, have tiny canines that are an average of {{cvt|0.5|cm|in|sigfig=1}} in length.<ref>{{cite web|last=Geist |first=Valerius |url=http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/112801/Chinese-water-deer |title=Chinese water deer | mammal |publisher=Britannica.com |date=30 June 2013 |access-date=4 June 2018}}</ref>
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The teeth usually erupt in the [[autumn]] of the deer's first year at approximately 6–7 months of age. By early spring, the recently erupted tusks reach approximately 50% of their final length. As the tusks develop, the root remains open until the deer is about eighteen months to two years old. When fully grown, only about 60% of the [[tusk]] is visible below the gum.{{citation needed|date=May 2012}}
These canines are held loosely in their sockets, with their movements controlled by facial muscles. The buck can draw them backwards out of the way when eating. In aggressive encounters, he thrusts his canines out and draws in his lower lip to pull his teeth closer together. He then presents an impressive two-pronged weapon to rival males. It is due to these teeth that this animal is often referred to as a "vampire deer".<ref name=langley2014>{{cite news|author=Liz Langley|title=Krampus's Sidekick? Fanged "Vampire Deer" Explained |date=25 December 2014 |publisher=National Geographic|url=http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2014/12/141224-deer-fanged-vampire-animals-science-krampus-christmas/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141226234843/http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2014/12/141224-deer-fanged-vampire-animals-science-krampus-christmas|url-status=dead|archive-date=December 26, 2014|access-date=8 April 2016}}</ref>
==Genetic diversity==
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==Behaviour==
Apart from mating during the [[Rut (mammalian reproduction)|rutting season]], water deer are solitary animals, and males are highly [[territory (animal)|territorial]]. Each buck [[Scent mark|marks out his territory]] with urine and feces. Sometimes a small pit is dug and it is possible that in digging, the male releases scent from the interdigital glands on its feet. The male also scent-marks by holding a thin tree in his mouth behind the upper canines and rubbing his [[preorbital gland]]s against it. Males may also bite off vegetation to delineate territorial boundaries.<ref name=":0">{{Cite book|last=Cooke|first=Arnold|url=https://www.worldcat.org/oclc/59362218|title=Chinese water deer|others=Lynne Farrell, Mammal Society, British Deer Society|date=1998 |publisher=Mammal Society |isbn=0-906282-38-1|oclc=59362218}}</ref>
Water deer use their tusks for territorial fights and are not related to carnivores. Confrontations between males begin with the animals walking slowly and stiffly towards each other, before turning to walk in parallel
Females do not seem to be [[territory (animal)|territorial]] outside the breeding season and can be seen in small groups, although individual deer do not appear to be associated; they will disperse separately at any sign of danger. Females show aggression towards each other immediately before and after the birth of their young and will chase other females from their birth territories.{{citation needed|date=May 2012}}
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During the annual rut in November and December, the male will seek out and follow females, giving soft squeaking contact calls and checking for signs of [[estrus]] by lowering his neck and rotating his head with ears flapping. Scent plays an important part in courtship, with both animals sniffing each other. Mating among water deer is [[polygyny in animals|polygynous]], with most females being mated inside the buck's territory. After repeated mountings, [[copulation (zoology)|copulation]] is brief.<ref>{{Cite book|last=Cooke|first=Arnold S.|url=https://www.worldcat.org/oclc/1110122665|title=Muntjac and water deer : natural history, environmental impact and management|date=2019|isbn=978-1-78427-192-3|location=Exeter, UK|oclc=1110122665}}</ref>
Water deer have been known to produce up to seven young, but two to three is normal for this species, the most prolific of all deer.{{citation needed|date=May 2012}} The doe often gives birth to her spotted young in the open, but they are quickly taken to concealing [[vegetation]], where they will remain most of the time for up to a month. During these first few weeks, fawns come out to play. Once driven from the natal territory in late summer, young deer sometimes continue to associate with each other, later separating to begin their solitary existence. Young water deer are also known to grow faster and be more precocious in comparison to other similar species.<ref>Dubost, G., Charron, F., Courcoul, A., & Rodier, A. (2011). The Chinese water deer, ''Hydropotes inermis'' — a fast-growing and productive ruminant. Mammalian Biology, 76(2), 190–195. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.mambio.2010.04.001
▲Water deer have been known to produce up to seven young, but two to three is normal for this species, the most prolific of all deer.{{citation needed|date=May 2012}} The doe often gives birth to her spotted young in the open, but they are quickly taken to concealing [[vegetation]], where they will remain most of the time for up to a month. During these first few weeks, fawns come out to play. Once driven from the natal territory in late summer, young deer sometimes continue to associate with each other, later separating to begin their solitary existence. Young water deer are also known to grow faster and be more precocious in comparison to other similar species.<ref>Dubost, G., Charron, F., Courcoul, A., & Rodier, A. (2011). The Chinese water deer, ''Hydropotes inermis'' — a fast-growing and productive ruminant. Mammalian Biology, 76(2), 190–195. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.mambio.2010.04.001 </ref>
==See also==
*[[Deer of Great Britain]]
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==External links==
{{Commons category|Hydropotes inermis}}▼
{{Wikispecies|Hydropotes inermis}}
▲{{Commons|Hydropotes inermis}}
* [https://www.wildlifeonline.me.uk/animals/species/chinese-water-deer Wildlife Online - Chinese Water Deer]
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20110723234115/http://wildlife1.wildlifeinformation.org/S/0M_Artiodactyl/Cervidae/Hydropotes/Hydropotes_inermis/Hydropotes_inermis.html ''Hydropotes inermis'' - Chinese water deer] – archive at the ''[[Digital time capsule|Internet Archive Wayback Machine]]''
{{Artiodactyla}}{{Taxonbar |from=Q192573}}▼
▲{{Taxonbar |from=Q192573}}
[[Category:
[[Category:Mammals of Asia]]
[[Category:Mammals of China]]
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