Thorold's Deer
Encyclopedia
Thorold's deer is a threatened
species of deer
found in grassland
, shrubland
and forest at high altitudes in the eastern Tibetan Plateau
. It is also known as the white-lipped deer (Baichunlu, 白唇鹿, in Simplified Chinese, ཤྭ་བ་མཆུ་དཀར།་ in Standard Tibetan
) for the white patches around its muzzle.
This deer fills an ecological niche similar to the Shou
(the subspecies wallichi of the Red Deer species group). It was first scientifically described
by Nikolai Przhevalsky
in 1883, and the first specimens were procured by G. W. Thorold, after whom the species is named. As of early 2011, more than 100 Thorold's deer are kept in ISIS
-registered zoo
s, and in 1998 it was estimated that about 7000 remain in the wild.
in 1883, it is known as "Thorold's deer" because the first specimens was procured by G. W. Thorold. The former genus however, is named after Przhevalsky (Przewalskium) and the species name (albirostris) come from the Latin
words albus (white) and rostrum (snout), referring to the white muzzle and lips. The name also came from the Chinese
word "Baichunlu" (白唇鹿, Simplified Chinese), meaning "white-lipped". For this reason Thorold's deer is also commonly known as the white-lipped deer.
, and genetic
evidence suggests this is more appropriate than its present placement in the monotypic
genus Przewalskium.
There are no recognised subspecies.
Thorold's deer is one of the largest deer species, with a shoulder height of around 115 to 140 cm (45.3 to 55.1 ). Males, which typically weigh from 180 to 230 kg (396.8 to 507.1 ), are significantly larger than females, at 90 to 160 kg (198.4 to 352.7 ) in weight. The hair is coarse and grey-brown over most of the body, fading to yellowish buff on the underparts, with a distinct reddish-brown patch on the rump, and a ridge of darker hair running down the spine. During winter, the coat is paler, and about twice as thick as during the summer, being thicker even that of a moose
. The head is darker than the rest of the body, especially in males, and contrasts with pure white markings on the lips, around the nose, and the throat just below the chin.
Adult male Thorold's deer have antler
s, measuring up to 110 centimetres (43.3 in) in beam length, and weighing up to 4 kilograms (8.8 lb). Compared with those of wapiti
or red deer
, the antlers are flattened with the first and second ("bez") tines noticeably far apart. The antlers can have up to seven tines, which all lie in the same plane. They are shed annually in March, reaching their full length by late summer. Other distinctive features include longer ears than most other deer, lined with white hair, and large metatarsal and preorbital glands. The hooves are broad and heavy, with unusually long dewclaw
s. The tail is short, at 12 to 13 cm (4.7 to 5.1 ) in length.
Thorold's deer has a number of physical and physiological
adaptations to its high altitude environment. The short legs and broad hooves make it an agile climber, able to use steep mountainous terrain to escape predators. The nasal cavities are unusually large, allowing it to breath in rarified high altitude air, while the thick hair protects against the cold. The red blood cell
s in this species are smaller than average for similarly sized mammals, and are very numerous, both features that increase its ability to take up limited amounts of oxygen.
, Sichuan
, Qinghai
, Gansu
and far northwestern Yunnan
. Today, it is found only in scattered populations across these regions, apparently being most numerous in eastern Sichuan. It prefers mosaics of grassland, shrubland and forest, and is often seen above the treeline. It is found at elevations of 3500 to 5100 m (11,482.9 to 16,732.3 ft), among the highest of any deer species, and migrates seasonally from high summer pastures to lower terrain in winter.
animal, normally living in herds of at least ten individuals. Outside of the breeding season, males and females usually travel separately. Historically, herds containing hundreds of such deer were reported, but today herds of over a hundred individuals are rare. Like wapiti
, they are predominantly grazers; they feed on a wide range of available plants, especially grass
es and sedge
s, but including some larger plants such as rhododendron
s and willow
s. They have few natural predators, although wolves and snow leopard
s have been known to eat Thorold's deer on occasion.
The species has a range of vocalisations, including loud alarm calls, which are audible over 500 metres (1,640.4 ft) away, growling sounds made by males in rut, and quieter grunts or mews made by females and young. Like reindeer
, they can also make unusual, loud snapping sounds from their carpal
bones, the function of which is unclear.
occurs between September and November, when herds containing both males and females become more common. Such herds consist of several males, each maintaining a small harem of females that they protect from other males. Males compete with one another in a manner similar to other deer; wrestling with antlers, scent marking, visual displays, and grunting warning sounds. Mating consists of a single rapid thrust.
The female gives birth to a single young after a gestation
period of 220 and 250 days, typically in either May and June. Shortly before giving birth, the mother locates a secluded den, often in bushes or shrubby cover. The calves are born with white spots, and able to stand within about 40 minutes of birth. Initially, the mother protects them by moving them between a number of different locations, only visiting them twice a day to allow them to suckle. After about two weeks, they rejoin the herd.
The calves' spots begin to fade after around six weeks, and they attain the full adult colour by the end of their first year. They become sexually mature during their second or third year, although males are rarely successful in the rut until they are at least five years old. Thorold's deer have been reported to live up to 21 years in captivity, but probably do not survive for more than twelve years in the wild.
s, and yak
s. It is also hunted, for meat, antlers, and other body parts (such as the velvet) used in traditional Chinese medicine
. The species is listed as vulnerable
by the IUCN and is a Class I protected species in China.
The species has been farmed for its antlers in China and New Zealand
, and is also found in numerous zoos worldwide. It appears able to adapt to being kept a low altitudes without much difficulty.
Threatened species
Threatened species are any speciesg animals, plants, fungi, etc.) which are vulnerable to endangerment in the near future.The World Conservation Union is the foremost authority on threatened species, and treats threatened species not as a single category, but as a group of three categories,...
species of deer
Deer
Deer are the ruminant mammals forming the family Cervidae. Species in the Cervidae family include white-tailed deer, elk, moose, red deer, reindeer, fallow deer, roe deer and chital. Male deer of all species and female reindeer grow and shed new antlers each year...
found in grassland
Grassland
Grasslands are areas where the vegetation is dominated by grasses and other herbaceous plants . However, sedge and rush families can also be found. Grasslands occur naturally on all continents except Antarctica...
, shrubland
Shrubland
Shrubland, scrubland, scrub or brush is a plant community characterized by vegetation dominated by shrubs, often also including grasses, herbs, and geophytes. Shrubland may either occur naturally or be the result of human activity...
and forest at high altitudes in the eastern Tibetan Plateau
Tibetan Plateau
The Tibetan Plateau , also known as the Qinghai–Tibetan Plateau is a vast, elevated plateau in Central Asia covering most of the Tibet Autonomous Region and Qinghai, in addition to smaller portions of western Sichuan, southwestern Gansu, and northern Yunnan in Western China and Ladakh in...
. It is also known as the white-lipped deer (Baichunlu, 白唇鹿, in Simplified Chinese, ཤྭ་བ་མཆུ་དཀར།་ in Standard Tibetan
Standard Tibetan
Standard Tibetan is the most widely used spoken form of the Tibetan languages. It is based on the speech of Lhasa, an Ü-Tsang dialect belonging to the Central Tibetan languages. For this reason, Standard Tibetan is often called Central Tibetan...
) for the white patches around its muzzle.
This deer fills an ecological niche similar to the Shou
Tibetan red deer
The Tibetan red deer also known as shou is a subspecies of Wapiti that is native to the southern Tibetan highlands and Bhutan.-Description:...
(the subspecies wallichi of the Red Deer species group). It was first scientifically described
Binomial nomenclature
Binomial nomenclature is a formal system of naming species of living things by giving each a name composed of two parts, both of which use Latin grammatical forms, although they can be based on words from other languages...
by Nikolai Przhevalsky
Nikolai Przhevalsky
Nikolai Mikhaylovich Przhevalsky and Prjevalsky, ; —), was a Russian geographer of Polish background and explorer of Central and Eastern Asia. Although he never reached his final goal, Lhasa in Tibet, he travelled through regions unknown to the west, such as northern Tibet, modern Qinghai and...
in 1883, and the first specimens were procured by G. W. Thorold, after whom the species is named. As of early 2011, more than 100 Thorold's deer are kept in ISIS
International Species Information System
-External links:*...
-registered zoo
Zoo
A zoological garden, zoological park, menagerie, or zoo is a facility in which animals are confined within enclosures, displayed to the public, and in which they may also be bred....
s, and in 1998 it was estimated that about 7000 remain in the wild.
Etymology
Although the species was first described by Nikolai PrzhevalskyNikolai Przhevalsky
Nikolai Mikhaylovich Przhevalsky and Prjevalsky, ; —), was a Russian geographer of Polish background and explorer of Central and Eastern Asia. Although he never reached his final goal, Lhasa in Tibet, he travelled through regions unknown to the west, such as northern Tibet, modern Qinghai and...
in 1883, it is known as "Thorold's deer" because the first specimens was procured by G. W. Thorold. The former genus however, is named after Przhevalsky (Przewalskium) and the species name (albirostris) come from the Latin
Latin
Latin is an Italic language originally spoken in Latium and Ancient Rome. It, along with most European languages, is a descendant of the ancient Proto-Indo-European language. Although it is considered a dead language, a number of scholars and members of the Christian clergy speak it fluently, and...
words albus (white) and rostrum (snout), referring to the white muzzle and lips. The name also came from the Chinese
Chinese language
The Chinese language is a language or language family consisting of varieties which are mutually intelligible to varying degrees. Originally the indigenous languages spoken by the Han Chinese in China, it forms one of the branches of Sino-Tibetan family of languages...
word "Baichunlu" (白唇鹿, Simplified Chinese), meaning "white-lipped". For this reason Thorold's deer is also commonly known as the white-lipped deer.
Taxonomy
Thorold's deer has traditionally been included in the genus CervusCervus
Cervus is a genus of deer that primarily are native to Eurasia, although one species occurs in northern Africa and another in North America. In addition to the species presently placed in this genus, it has included a whole range of other species now commonly placed in other genera, but some of...
, and genetic
Genetics
Genetics , a discipline of biology, is the science of genes, heredity, and variation in living organisms....
evidence suggests this is more appropriate than its present placement in the monotypic
Monotypic
In biology, a monotypic taxon is a taxonomic group with only one biological type. The term's usage differs slightly between botany and zoology. The term monotypic has a separate use in conservation biology, monotypic habitat, regarding species habitat conversion eliminating biodiversity and...
genus Przewalskium.
There are no recognised subspecies.
Description
Moose
The moose or Eurasian elk is the largest extant species in the deer family. Moose are distinguished by the palmate antlers of the males; other members of the family have antlers with a dendritic configuration...
. The head is darker than the rest of the body, especially in males, and contrasts with pure white markings on the lips, around the nose, and the throat just below the chin.
Adult male Thorold's deer have antler
Antler
Antlers are the usually large, branching bony appendages on the heads of most deer species.-Etymology:Antler originally meant the lowest tine, the "brow tine"...
s, measuring up to 110 centimetres (43.3 in) in beam length, and weighing up to 4 kilograms (8.8 lb). Compared with those of wapiti
Wapiti
- Animals :* Elk , from the Cree language waapiti, a large deer species native to western North America and eastern Asia- Places :* Wapiti Pass, a mountain pass in British Columbia, Canada...
or red deer
Red Deer
The red deer is one of the largest deer species. Depending on taxonomy, the red deer inhabits most of Europe, the Caucasus Mountains region, Asia Minor, parts of western Asia, and central Asia. It also inhabits the Atlas Mountains region between Morocco and Tunisia in northwestern Africa, being...
, the antlers are flattened with the first and second ("bez") tines noticeably far apart. The antlers can have up to seven tines, which all lie in the same plane. They are shed annually in March, reaching their full length by late summer. Other distinctive features include longer ears than most other deer, lined with white hair, and large metatarsal and preorbital glands. The hooves are broad and heavy, with unusually long dewclaw
Dewclaw
A dewclaw is a vestigial digit on the foot of many mammals, birds, and reptiles . It commonly grows high on the leg so that in digitigrade species, when the animal is standing, it does not make contact with the ground...
s. The tail is short, at 12 to 13 cm (4.7 to 5.1 ) in length.
Thorold's deer has a number of physical and physiological
Physiology
Physiology is the science of the function of living systems. This includes how organisms, organ systems, organs, cells, and bio-molecules carry out the chemical or physical functions that exist in a living system. The highest honor awarded in physiology is the Nobel Prize in Physiology or...
adaptations to its high altitude environment. The short legs and broad hooves make it an agile climber, able to use steep mountainous terrain to escape predators. The nasal cavities are unusually large, allowing it to breath in rarified high altitude air, while the thick hair protects against the cold. The red blood cell
Red blood cell
Red blood cells are the most common type of blood cell and the vertebrate organism's principal means of delivering oxygen to the body tissues via the blood flow through the circulatory system...
s in this species are smaller than average for similarly sized mammals, and are very numerous, both features that increase its ability to take up limited amounts of oxygen.
Distribution and habitat
Thorold's deer inhabits the Chinese provinces of TibetTibet Autonomous Region
The Tibet Autonomous Region , Tibet or Xizang for short, also called the Xizang Autonomous Region is a province-level autonomous region of the People's Republic of China , created in 1965....
, Sichuan
Sichuan
' , known formerly in the West by its postal map spellings of Szechwan or Szechuan is a province in Southwest China with its capital in Chengdu...
, Qinghai
Qinghai
Qinghai ; Oirat Mongolian: ; ; Salar:) is a province of the People's Republic of China, named after Qinghai Lake...
, Gansu
Gansu
' is a province located in the northwest of the People's Republic of China.It lies between the Tibetan and Huangtu plateaus, and borders Mongolia, Inner Mongolia, and Ningxia to the north, Xinjiang and Qinghai to the west, Sichuan to the south, and Shaanxi to the east...
and far northwestern Yunnan
Yunnan
Yunnan is a province of the People's Republic of China, located in the far southwest of the country spanning approximately and with a population of 45.7 million . The capital of the province is Kunming. The province borders Burma, Laos, and Vietnam.Yunnan is situated in a mountainous area, with...
. Today, it is found only in scattered populations across these regions, apparently being most numerous in eastern Sichuan. It prefers mosaics of grassland, shrubland and forest, and is often seen above the treeline. It is found at elevations of 3500 to 5100 m (11,482.9 to 16,732.3 ft), among the highest of any deer species, and migrates seasonally from high summer pastures to lower terrain in winter.
Behaviour
Thorold's deer is a crepuscularCrepuscular
Crepuscular animals are those that are active primarily during twilight, that is during dawn and dusk. The word is derived from the Latin word crepusculum, meaning "twilight." Crepuscular is, thus, in contrast with diurnal and nocturnal behavior. Crepuscular animals may also be active on a bright...
animal, normally living in herds of at least ten individuals. Outside of the breeding season, males and females usually travel separately. Historically, herds containing hundreds of such deer were reported, but today herds of over a hundred individuals are rare. Like wapiti
Wapiti
- Animals :* Elk , from the Cree language waapiti, a large deer species native to western North America and eastern Asia- Places :* Wapiti Pass, a mountain pass in British Columbia, Canada...
, they are predominantly grazers; they feed on a wide range of available plants, especially grass
Grass
Grasses, or more technically graminoids, are monocotyledonous, usually herbaceous plants with narrow leaves growing from the base. They include the "true grasses", of the Poaceae family, as well as the sedges and the rushes . The true grasses include cereals, bamboo and the grasses of lawns ...
es and sedge
Sedge
- Plants :* Acorus calamus, sweet flag, a plant in the Acoraceae family* Any of the plants in the family Cyperaceae- Animals :* A collective noun for several species of birds, including bitterns, cranes and herons* Sedge-fly, caddisfly- Other uses :...
s, but including some larger plants such as rhododendron
Rhododendron
Rhododendron is a genus of over 1 000 species of woody plants in the heath family, most with showy flowers...
s and willow
Willow
Willows, sallows, and osiers form the genus Salix, around 400 species of deciduous trees and shrubs, found primarily on moist soils in cold and temperate regions of the Northern Hemisphere...
s. They have few natural predators, although wolves and snow leopard
Snow Leopard
The snow leopard is a moderately large cat native to the mountain ranges of South Asia and Central Asia...
s have been known to eat Thorold's deer on occasion.
The species has a range of vocalisations, including loud alarm calls, which are audible over 500 metres (1,640.4 ft) away, growling sounds made by males in rut, and quieter grunts or mews made by females and young. Like reindeer
Reindeer
The reindeer , also known as the caribou in North America, is a deer from the Arctic and Subarctic, including both resident and migratory populations. While overall widespread and numerous, some of its subspecies are rare and one has already gone extinct.Reindeer vary considerably in color and size...
, they can also make unusual, loud snapping sounds from their carpal
Carpus
In tetrapods, the carpus is the sole cluster of bones in the wrist between the radius and ulna and the metacarpus. The bones of the carpus do not belong to individual fingers , whereas those of the metacarpus do. The corresponding part of the foot is the tarsus...
bones, the function of which is unclear.
Reproduction
The rutRut (mammalian reproduction)
The rut is the mating season of ruminant animals such as deer, sheep, elk, moose, caribou, ibex, goats, pronghorn and Asian and African antelope....
occurs between September and November, when herds containing both males and females become more common. Such herds consist of several males, each maintaining a small harem of females that they protect from other males. Males compete with one another in a manner similar to other deer; wrestling with antlers, scent marking, visual displays, and grunting warning sounds. Mating consists of a single rapid thrust.
The female gives birth to a single young after a gestation
Gestation
Gestation is the carrying of an embryo or fetus inside a female viviparous animal. Mammals during pregnancy can have one or more gestations at the same time ....
period of 220 and 250 days, typically in either May and June. Shortly before giving birth, the mother locates a secluded den, often in bushes or shrubby cover. The calves are born with white spots, and able to stand within about 40 minutes of birth. Initially, the mother protects them by moving them between a number of different locations, only visiting them twice a day to allow them to suckle. After about two weeks, they rejoin the herd.
The calves' spots begin to fade after around six weeks, and they attain the full adult colour by the end of their first year. They become sexually mature during their second or third year, although males are rarely successful in the rut until they are at least five years old. Thorold's deer have been reported to live up to 21 years in captivity, but probably do not survive for more than twelve years in the wild.
Conservation
Thorold's deer is found only in scattered populations across its former range, although the remoteness of its preferred habitat makes it difficult to study in detail. It faces threats from advancing human agriculture, including competition from domestic animals such as sheep, goatGoat
The domestic goat is a subspecies of goat domesticated from the wild goat of southwest Asia and Eastern Europe. The goat is a member of the Bovidae family and is closely related to the sheep as both are in the goat-antelope subfamily Caprinae. There are over three hundred distinct breeds of...
s, and yak
Yak
The yak, Bos grunniens or Bos mutus, is a long-haired bovine found throughout the Himalayan region of south Central Asia, the Tibetan Plateau and as far north as Mongolia and Russia. In addition to a large domestic population, there is a small, vulnerable wild yak population...
s. It is also hunted, for meat, antlers, and other body parts (such as the velvet) used in traditional Chinese medicine
Traditional Chinese medicine
Traditional Chinese Medicine refers to a broad range of medicine practices sharing common theoretical concepts which have been developed in China and are based on a tradition of more than 2,000 years, including various forms of herbal medicine, acupuncture, massage , exercise , and dietary therapy...
. The species is listed as vulnerable
Vulnerable species
On 30 January 2010, the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species identified 9694 Vulnerable species, subspecies and varieties, stocks and sub-populations.-References:...
by the IUCN and is a Class I protected species in China.
The species has been farmed for its antlers in China and New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
, and is also found in numerous zoos worldwide. It appears able to adapt to being kept a low altitudes without much difficulty.