Eld's Deer: a two-minute wildlife lesson

Deer and Pronghorn · day 4 of 7

Five facts

1. Its antlers curve outwards, then back in, like a bow. Their long front prongs give it another name: the brow-antlered deer.
2. In Manipur, India, one group lives on marshy ground called phumdis. Its hooves are adapted to move easily over the soft bog.
3. Its rough coat changes with the seasons: reddish-brown in summer and dark brown in winter. Males tend to be darker than females.
4. It looks for places that burn each season, where fresh new grass springs up after the fire.
5. Fawns are born with white spots that fade as they grow. They drink their mother's milk until about seven months old.

The quiz

1. Why is Eld's deer also called the brow-antlered deer?

• Its antlers are very short
• Only females have antlers
• Its antlers have long front prongs (correct)
• Its antlers grow straight up

It is named for its long brow tines, the front prongs.

2. What kind of ground do the Eld's deer of Manipur live on?

• Soft, boggy marshland (correct)
• Rocky mountain peaks
• Sandy desert
• Sea cliffs

Their hooves are adapted to the marshy phumdis.

3. What colour is its coat in winter?

• Snow white
• Pale grey
• Golden yellow
• Dark brown (correct)

It is reddish-brown in summer and turns dark brown in winter.

4. Why does Eld's deer visit places that burn each season?

• To lie in the warm ashes
• To find fresh new grass (correct)
• To hide from the rain
• To lick salt from the ground

New grasses grow there after the burn.

5. What do Eld's deer fawns look like at birth?

• They have white spots that fade (correct)
• They have black stripes
• They are pure white
• They have a thick mane

The young have white spots at birth that fade as they grow.

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