Père David's Deer (Elaphurus davidianus) lives in freshwater wetlands across East Asia. It feeds on grasses and leaves. Its conservation status is Extinct in the Wild.
Fascinating facts about the Père David's Deer
- All living Père David's deer descend from the herd assembled by Herbrand Russell, 11th Duke of Bedford, after he rescued the few captive survivors from European zoos in the early 1900s. He began the Woburn Abbey herd with just 18 animals, of which 11 were able to breed, and over generations built a large captive population.
- After being declared extinct in the wild, Père David's deer have been re-established in China, with the 2020 estimate showing 2,825 individuals roaming free and another 7,380 living in nature reserves. The revival began in 1985 when a donor sent a herd of 20 deer (5 males, 15 females) to the Beijing Milu Park, followed by a second group of 18 females in 1987.
- Père David's deer bear a uniquely shaped antler set in which the long tines point backward while the main beam rises almost straight upward, a configuration not seen in other cervids. Males can grow two pairs each year; the larger summer set is shed in November after the rut and a second, smaller set may appear, fully developing by January before falling a few weeks later.
- Père David's deer is a semiaquatic species that moves through water with ease, often swimming to cross rivers and wetlands. It can remain standing in water as deep as its shoulders for extended periods and in summer supplements its mainly grass diet with aquatic plants.
Sources
Every fact above was checked against these pages, and kept only where one of them states it.
At a glance
RangeEast Asia
HabitatFreshwater wetlands
DietGrasses and leaves
About the Père David's Deer
In the misty dawn of the wetlands, the Père David's Deer emerges, its elegant form unfolding like a specter, as it glides effortlessly across the terrain with a gentle, loping gait. With its striking white rump patches and lyre-shaped antlers, this majestic creature navigates its fragile habitat with a quiet resilience, a testament to the enduring power of a species that has teetered on the brink of extinction. As it moves, the deer's large, dark eyes seem to hold a deep wisdom, a knowing glance that bespeaks a long and storied history in these vanishing landscapes.
Hear the Père David's Deer, and 4,400+ more
Real recorded sounds, 11 nature games and a free Daily 5, 1v1 quiz duels, conservation wins and a safe Kids mode. Free on Feravox.
Père David's Deer photographed on Feravox
