Cervus nippon

Cervus nippon

The sika deer or Northern spotted deer or Japanese deer (Cervus nippon, Temminck, 1838) is a mammal belonging to the Cervidae family.

Systematics –
From a systematic point of view it belongs to:
Eukaryota domain,
Kingdom Animalia,
Phylum Chordata,
Mammalia class,
Order Artiodactyla,
Cervidae family,
Subfamily Cervinae,
Genus Cervus,
Species C. nippon.
Within this species the following subspecies are recognised:
– Cervus nippon subsp. aplodontus (Heude, 1884);
– Cervus nippon subsp. centralis;
– Cervus nippon subsp. grassianus (Heude, 1884);
– Cervus nippon subsp. hortulorum Swinhoe, 1864;
– Cervus nippon subsp. keramae (Kuroda, 1924);
– Cervus nippon subsp. kopschi Swinhoe, 1873;
– Cervus nippon subsp. mageshimae Kuroda & Okada, 1950;
– Cervus nippon subsp. mandarinus Milne-Edwards, 1871;
– Cervus nippon subsp. mantchuricus Swinhoe, 1864;
– Cervus nippon subsp. nippon;
– Cervus nippon subsp. pseudaxis Gervais, 1841;
– Cervus nippon subsp. pulchellus Imaizumi, 1970;
– Cervus nippon subsp. sichuanicus Guo, Chen & Wang, 1978;
– Cervus nippon subsp. soloensis (Heude, 1888);
– Cervus nippon subsp. taiouanus Blyth, 1860;
– Cervus nippon subsp. yakushimae Kuroda & Okada, 1950;
– Cervus nippon subsp. yesoensis (Heude, 1884).

Geographic Distribution and Habitat –
Cervus nippon is a native species of south-eastern Asia, from which it was then introduced in many other parts of the world. It is considered endangered in many areas, except in Japan, where the population is overabundant.
Its habitat is mainly that of the wood, where it feeds on grass, leaves, buds and tree bark. It is a predominantly crepuscular or nocturnal animal and takes refuge in areas covered with vegetation during the day.
The species is found in several regions of East Asia, including Japan, China, Korea and Taiwan. It has also been introduced to many other parts of the world, including the United States and several European countries, where it has been successfully adapted to various habitats.
This animal is a species of great ecological and cultural value in many regions. However, in some areas, wild populations are threatened by habitat loss, hunting and competition from other species. Efforts have been made to protect and conserve this species through population management programs and the creation of nature reserves.
The Cervus nippon nippon is the type subspecies, bred for centuries in Japan, in temples, parks and semi-domesticated farms. As a result, its acclimatization in various parts of the world, including European forests and parks (England, Scotland, France, Germany, Denmark) and even Madagascar, has been easy.
Cervus nippon mantchuricus was introduced in 1875 in New Zealand and later in Australia. Also in 1950 the Soviets introduced it to Azerbaijan. It is a very resistant deer: it adapts to unfavorable climates and in winter it is not affected by lack of food. The natural habitat is the woods rich in clearings, but the species has also adapted to large crops and plantations.
The Cervus nippon taioanus is about 90 cm tall at the withers with a light brown summer coat with evident white spots, darker under the neck and on the strongly marked dorsal stripe. The winter coat is thicker and darker, with less obvious markings. The horns measure up to 50 cm. This cerk inhabited all the mountains in central Taiwan, even among the perennial snows, and seems to have been rather common there. During the Japanese domination until the end of the war it was strictly protected, but after the war it was hunted by the Chinese in a few years almost to extinction (it seems that it has not even nominal protection), while the forests indispensable for its survival were destroyed. Despite this, there are still small herds of them in the mountains of the Taitung region (from which the aborigines unfortunately also supply the restaurants), as well as 100-200 on Green Island or Lu-tao 30 km east of Taitung, and a fifty at the Taipei Zoo.
The subspecies of the Ryukyu Islands (Cervus nippon keramae) closely resembles that of Japan: it is only a little smaller, with a smaller head as well and horns with more warty appendages. In fact, it seems that it was introduced on the islands from Japan many years ago (it is recorded present there since 1757) and that the long isolation has given rise to the differentiation of an insular form. The population is in decline (dropped from about 160 to about 30 from 1954 to 1965) because the islands are very small (a very few km²), the forage is scarce and of bad quality (probably due to the presence of goats), and the water sometimes it is in short supply. The breed was declared a national monument in 1955, and has been strictly protected ever since.
The subspecies living in northern China (Cervus nippon mandarinus) has larger spots, but less numerous, and permanent during the year. The color of the coat is light, the belly is of the color of the coat and not white, the horns are more spread apart. In ancient times it was probably widespread throughout northeastern China. In 1937, it existed only in the Tung Ling Imperial Game Reserve. Until the overthrow of the Manchu dynasty (1911-12) this subspecies was strictly protected, but later soldiers killed most of them, and the remainder were not protected. Today it probably exists only in small numbers on farms in Shan-si.
The Shanxi sika (Cervus nippon Grassianus) is one of the largest (105–110 cm at the withers, weighing 100 kg), and its spots are almost invisible. The color is dark grayish brown, tending to brown on the back and legs. It was widespread throughout the mountainous area of western Shanxi. According to Sowerby, the last one was killed there in 1920. It seems to still exist in some Chinese zoos, but the report is not confirmed.
The subspecies living in southern China (Cervus nippon kopschi) is small (85 cm at the withers), only slightly larger than the Japanese. The back is brown with a long dark vertebral stripe flanked by indistinct white spots, the belly is white. It was distributed from the Yangtze basin east to the coast and south to Kwantung. According to Sowerby, as early as 1937 this deer was almost extinct: it enjoyed no protection and was hunted intensely. Today it is strictly protected, but it is probably extinct.

Description –
Cervus nippon is considered to be one of the smallest deer, with dimensions similar to a medium-sized deer.
The adults have a height at the withers of about 70-120 centimeters and a weight between 50 and 100 kilograms. Males are generally larger than females, with a distinctive feature being the large branching antlers that develop each year.
The coat can vary greatly in color, depending on the subspecies and the season. Common colorations include dark brown, reddish brown, and grayish brown. During the summer, the coat is generally shorter and lighter in color, while in the winter it becomes thicker and darker.
A unique feature is the presence of white spots on the body. Females generally have more spots than males, which can vary in size and shape. These white spots may also be present on the paws and face.

Biology –
Cervus nippon has a breeding season that varies according to region and environmental conditions, but usually falls during autumn. During this time, males fight each other for dominance over females and for access to mate. These fights take place with their antlers, which are rubbed together making characteristic sounds. The dominant male will have more opportunities to mate with females.
Once the male has established his dominance, he will try to attract the females by emitting vocalizations and marking the territory with secretions of scent glands. Females will respond to these calls and chemical signals and choose the male to mate with.
After mating, gestation lasts about 7-8 months. In the following spring, females usually give birth to a single young, although twins are possible but relatively rare. The young deer, called fawns, weigh around 4-7 kg at birth and are kept hidden by their mother for the first few weeks of their life. During this time, the mother nurses them and protects them from predators.

Ecological Role –
Cervus nippon is referred to as sika, a term that derives from the Japanese word shika (鹿) which means “deer”. In fact, in the Japanese language the sound “si” does not exist and the origin of the term sika is simply linked to a transcription error (the Japanese sound “shi” being the equivalent of the Italian one “sci”). In Japan, however, the species is known as nihonjika (ニホンジカ（日本鹿, name given by the union of “nihon” (Japan, 日本) and “shika” (Deer, 鹿) which however becomes “jika”) or still nipponjika (ニッポンジカ （日本鹿, “nippon” (another way to say “Japan”) + “jika”) from which we can guess the origin of the scientific name “Cervus nippon” (precisely “Japanese deer”).
This species has a herbivorous diet, feeding mainly on grasses, leaves, shoots, and tree bark.
During spring and summer, the diet consists mainly of fresh grass, leaves, shoots, young branches and aquatic plants. This season offers a wide range of nutrient-rich food resources that the animal makes the most of this opportunity.
During the autumn, it feeds mainly on acorns, berries, chestnuts and other wild fruits. These foods are an important source of energy that help the species prepare for the winter season.
During the winter, when food resources are scarce, this deer adapts and feeds on bark, moss, shrubs and other types of vegetation that are still available. They can also dig through the snow to look for mosses and lichens.
The diet of this deer can also vary depending on the subspecies and the specific habitat in which it lives. For example, populations living in coastal environments may also include marine algae in their diet.
In general it is an opportunistic animal and adapts to the food resources available in its environment. Its diet is mainly plant-based, with a variety of plants being consumed depending on the season and local conditions.
It is also an adaptable species and can live in different types of habitats, including forests, grasslands, coastal areas and mountains. These deer are also good swimmers and can cross streams.
Adult males are known to have branching antlers. The shape and size of the antlers can vary according to the age and nutritional status of the deer. Males lose their antlers during the winter and regenerate them during the spring and summer seasons.
This species, with its subspecies, has been introduced to different parts of the world, including the United States, New Zealand and some parts of Europe. In these regions, it can be considered an important resource for hunting and can have a significant impact on local ecosystems.

Guido Bissanti

Sources
– Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
– GBIF, the Facilidad Global de Información sobre Biodiversidad.
– Gordon Corbet, Denys Ovenden, 2012. Guide to mammals of Europe. Franco Muzzio Publisher.
– John Woodward, Kim Dennis-Bryan, 2018. The Great Encyclopedia of Animals. Gribaudo Publisher.

Photo source:
– https://inaturalist-open-data.s3.amazonaws.com/photos/60316111/original.jpeg