Sika Deer

• In Japan, the deer of the city of Nara are regarded as sacred messengers of the Shinto gods.
• It eats dwarf bamboo, acorns and other seasonal fruit, along with grasses and leaves.
• It has been widely introduced to Europe and North America.
• biologíaIt has a striking spotted summer coat that turns darker and plainer in winter, and has been successfully introduced to several European countries outside its natural range in East Asia.

Skeleton type

Vertebrate - internal bony skeleton (mammal)

Habitat and environment

Temperate forest, grassland and mountain country of East Asia, widely introduced to Europe and North America

Birth weight

4.5-7 kg at birth, with the characteristic white spots

Size at birth

4.5-7 kg at birth

Sexual maturity

~6 months in the female (though she usually breeds for the first time as a yearling)

Gestation / incubation

~7-7.5 months (210-230 days)

Litter / clutch size

1 young per birth (twins rare)

Life expectancy in captivity

Documented record of up to 25 years

Sources consulted: iNaturalist; World Deer; AnAge (genomics.senescence.info); Dimensions.com; Creatures of the World; British Deer Society; A-Z Animals; The Animal Facts

The pins mark the parks where its presence is documented.