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Chinese Water Deer (Hydropotes inermis)

The Chinese Water Deer was introduced to Woburn Park in Bedfordshire in the 1900s. From here a feral population spread and the Chinese Water Deer spread quickly into the Cambridgeshire Fens, and the Norfolk Broads. The Chinese Water Deer was at home in the dense reed beds and river valleys found here, as they resembled its native habitat in North East China. The Chinese Water Deer is usually shy and secretive; they usually either live in small groups or alone. They often hide amongst rushes, but often venture out to graze on grasses in nearby arable fields. Male Chinese Water Deer are roughly the same size as the females. Chinese Water Deer have a bark that is very distinctive. Sometimes large groups will occur in the winter months during the rutting season.

The Chinese Water deer is one of the smallest deer found in the UK

Questions and Answers

Can Chinese Water Deer have large litters? Usually Chinese Water Deer have twins or triplets, but sometimes much larger litters occur. It is not uncommon for them to have sextuplets. However infant mortality is high and many fawns die soon after birth. What do Chinese Water Deer antlers look like? The Chinese Water Deer is unusual in this regard to other deer species found in Europe as the males do not have antlers. However the males do have 'tusks', which are long teeth which protrude below the upper lip. These 'tusks' can be up to 2 and a half inches long. Where are Chinese Water Deer found? Chinese Water Deer are found in Bedfordshire and on the Broads and Fens. They are kept in herds in parks elsewhere.

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