VMD 512: Zoo/Wild Animal Breeding, Management, Nutrition and Health Care (1+1)

SAMBAR DEER AND BARKING DEER

Sambar (Cervus unicolor)

• Largest one of Indian deer.
• Prefers water resources
• Can make alarm call or activities.
• General color is brown with a yellowish or greyish tinge.
• Old stags tend to be almost black
• Coat is shaggy and coarse
• In the hot weather, much of the hair is shed.
• Nocturnal in general.
• Stags clean their horns by rubbing against the trees.

Barking deer (Muntiacus muntjak)

• Also called as ‘Muntjac’
• Canines are present
• Antlers are small with short brow-tine and beam is unbranched.
• Antlers are set on bony pedicels that extend down each side of the faces as bony ridges. Hence, also called as the Rib-faced deer.
• Fairly diurnal in habits
• Call resembles the bark of a dog and is famous one.