Population characteristics of a semi-free-ranging polytocous cervid, Hydropotes inermis

Abstract

Population characteristics of the polytocous Chinese water deer were studied and compared with those of other cervids and small ruminants. Numerous individuals living semi-freely on a large area were followed during 3 consecutive years. Animals were ear-tagged; matings, births and deaths were recorded. Although this captive population lived at high density, body masses were comparable to those of wild individuals, as were body growth, age at sexual maturity, periods of mating and birth, percentages of females giving birth, and death rates at any age. In contrast, litter size and proportion of young in the population were lower. On the whole, water deer differ from most other cervids by several characters corresponding to a high-population dynamic: short gestation, large litter size, reduced suckling phase, rapid body growth, early tooth replacement and sexual maturity, high mortality rate. However, in fact, water deer populations increase less in the wild than those of other species.