Thamin, Brow-antlered deer
Eld's deer (Rucervus eldii (or Panolia eldii )), also known as the thamin or brow-antlered deer, is an endangered species of deer endemic to South Asia.
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NocturnalNocturnality is an animal behavior characterized by being active during the night and sleeping during the day. The common adjective is "nocturnal",...
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CrepuscularCrepuscular animals are those that are active primarily during twilight (that is, the periods of dawn and dusk). This is distinguished from diurnal...
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HerbivoreA herbivore is an animal anatomically and physiologically adapted to eating plant material, for example, foliage, for the main component of its die...
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FolivoreIn zoology, a folivore is a herbivore that specializes in eating leaves. Mature leaves contain a high proportion of hard-to-digest cellulose, less ...
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TerrestrialTerrestrial animals are animals that live predominantly or entirely on land (e.g., cats, ants, snails), as compared with aquatic animals, which liv...
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CursorialA cursorial organism is one that is adapted specifically to run. An animal can be considered cursorial if it has the ability to run fast (e.g. chee...
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GrazingGrazing is a method of feeding in which a herbivore feeds on plants such as grasses, or other multicellular organisms such as algae. In agriculture...
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BrowsingBrowsing is a type of herbivory in which an herbivore (or, more narrowly defined, a folivore) feeds on leaves, soft shoots, or fruits of high-growi...
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ZoochoryZoochory animals are those that can disperse plant seeds in several ways. Seeds can be transported on the outside of vertebrate animals (mostly mam...
Among animals, viviparity is the development of the embryo inside the body of the parent. The term 'viviparity' and its adjective form 'viviparous'...
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PolygynyPolygyny is a mating system in which one male lives and mates with multiple females but each female only mates with a single male.
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HerdingA herd is a social grouping of certain animals of the same species, either wild or domestic. The form of collective animal behavior associated with...
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Dominance hierarchyA dominance hierarchy (formerly and colloquially called a pecking order) is a type of social hierarchy that arises when members of animal social gr...
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MigratingAnimal migration is the relatively long-distance movement of individual animals, usually on a seasonal basis. It is the most common form of migrati...
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starts withEld's deer is an endangered species of deer that is native to South Asia. It has a very regal and graceful physique. Its legs are thin and long, and it has a long body with a large head on a thin neck. The throat of a male has a thick mane of long hair. Males (stags) are taller and heavier than females (does). Their coats, rough and coarse, change color with the season; in summer the color is reddish-brown, while in winter, it turns dark brown, with males tending to be darker than the females. The tail is short in length and the rump has no distinct patch.
Eld's deer were once widely distributed across South and Southeast Asia. Currently, they occur in small areas of Cambodia, China, India, Laos, and Myanmar. Eld's deer live in dry forests, valleys, plains, grasslands, savannas, and shrubland. They also occur in wetlands but prefer to avoid coastal areas.
Eld's deer are active at night spending most of the time foraging. During the day, they seek shelter from the midday sun where they can rest and ruminate. Outside of the breeding season males prefer to spend their time singly while females and their young live in herds throughout the year. Eld's deer are known to perform daily and seasonal migrations. They typically migrate for short periods seeking water in the dry season and food in the growing season.
Eld's deer are herbivores. Their diet consists of various grasses, herbaceous plants, and shoots, fruit, and wetland plants. They also poach into cultivated crops to graze and browse in nearby fields of rice, lentils, maize, peas, and grapes.
Eld's deers are polygynous and breed from February to May. During this time males are very aggressive and compete with each other for dominance in a harem of females. After a gestation period of 34 weeks, the female gives birth to a single fawn in a hidden place. She nurses her young for 5-7 months until it's strong enough to join the herd. At 1.5-2 years of age, the Eld's deer become reproductively mature and start to breed.
Eld's deer are prized as game by hunters due to their impressive antlers and hides that are in demand in local markets. They are also widely hunted for food; they were believed to have been used to feed armies during many Asian wars. The population of this species has additionally declined due to intense development activities necessitating reclamation of land for grazing, cultivation, and fish farming within their range. In Myanmar, Eld's deer are threatened by deforestation of the diperocarp forests. The habitat available for their protection is very limited and even in protected areas, the animals are poached. Eld's der has a fragmented distribution and are therefore at risk from inbreeding and loss of genetic variation.
There is no overall population estimate available for Eld's deer. However, there are estimates of its populations in specific areas: below 700 individuals in Cambodia and below 100 individuals in Myanmar. Currently, the Eld's deer is classified as Endangered (EN) on the IUCN Red List and its numbers today are decreasing.
Social animals are those animals that interact highly with other animals, usually of their own species (conspecifics), to the point of having a rec...