Sika Deer
Cervus nippon
Conservation Status
Least ConcernMammalia · Artiodactyla · Cervidae
About
The sika deer, also known as the northern spotted deer or the Japanese deer, is a species of deer native to much of East Asia and introduced to other parts of the world. Previously found from northern Vietnam in the south to the Russian Far East in the north, it was overhunted to the brink of extinction in the 19th century. Protection laws were enacted in the mid-20th century, leading to a rapid recovery of their population from the 1950s to the 1980s.
Fun Fact
Sika deer in Nara, Japan have learned to bow to tourists in exchange for special deer crackers — a behavior that developed through centuries of coexistence with humans at the city's Buddhist temples.
Quick Facts
Habitat
Temperate and subtropical forests
Diet
Herbivore
Lifespan
12-15 years
Threats
- Illegal Logging
- Wildfire