Spotted Deer, also known as Chital or Axis Deer, is a captivating native species of deer found in India, Nepal, Bangladesh, and Sri Lanka. These deer are a significant part of the ecosystem, playing a crucial role in controlling vegetation growth through their grazing habits.
The Spotted Deer have a reddish-brown coat with small white spots, which gives them their distinctive name. The males, being sexually dimorphic, are larger than females and are the only ones to possess antlers.
An adult male can stand up to 95 cm at the shoulder and grow up to 6 ft in length, weighing between 66 kg to 113 kg.
On the other hand, females are smaller, reaching heights of up to 70 cm and weighing between 43 kg and 66 kg. The male's antlers can extend up to an impressive 100 cm.
The Spotted Deer's life span ranges from 9 to 13 years in the wild and can extend up to 18 to 25 years in captivity. Their reproductive activity occurs year-round, and the average gestation period lasts from 210 to 238 days, resulting in the birth of one fawn per female.
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Interestingly, if a fawn dies during its birth year, the mother can breed again to give birth to a second fawn. The fawns spend about a week hidden in the bushes before joining the herd.
The Spotted Deer are social animals and often form small herds of 20 to 30 individuals. They have different vocalizations for various situations, such as barking when alarmed, bellowing during the breeding season, and squealing when separated from their mothers.
As herbivores, the Spotted Deer primarily feed on grasses, vegetation, fruits, and shrubs. Their diet also includes ingesting their shed antlers, which provide additional nutritional value.
These deer are adaptable creatures, found in diverse environments, from the dense forests of the Indian subcontinent to regions as far as Hawaii and Texas in the United States, as well as Australia and Croatia.
Spotted Deer have evolved unique survival strategies in the wild. The Spotted Deer often graze near trees inhabited by monkeys, which act as an additional alarm system against approaching predators.
Speaking of predators, the Spotted Deer face threats from predators like lions, tigers, rock pythons, crocodiles, and wild dogs. To protect themselves, they seek refuge under shades during the high sun and stay vigilant during the dawn and dusk, when most predators are active.
