Axis Deer - South Pacific | Online Record Book Preview

Axis axis

Axis (Sp), Axishirsch (G), Axis (F). "Axis" is said to be the name given this animal by Roman scholar Pliny the Elder. Also called spotted deer. Called chital in India.

DESCRIPTION (male) Shoulder height 31-35 inches (79-89 cm). Weight 150-200 pounds (68-91 kg). The female is smaller.

A beautiful medium-sized deer, slender and graceful. The coat is a bright reddish-fawn covered with permanent white spots, those on the lower flanks being arranged in longitudinal rows. There is a dark stripe along the spine. Underparts, underside of tail, lower legs and throat are white. The face is buff with a darker brown muzzle. Antlers are beautifully lyre-shaped, large in proportion to the body, and typically have three points to a side-the main beam plus two tines. Occasional antlers will have additional tines, which are generally small and located near the junction of brow tine and main beam. Any such additional tines are non-typical.

BEHAVIOR Gregarious, living in groups of 5-10, sometimes as many as 30. Some herds contain all ages and sexes, others have only females and young, or only males, and the composition of herds changes constantly. As is usual with tropical deer, breeding takes place year-round, so that there are some stags with hard antlers at all seasons. Rutting stags emit loud, harsh bellows, and fight frequently and furiously for females.

Sedentary, spending its entire life in a small area. Diurnal, resting during the hotter part of the day, but may become nocturnal when temperatures are very high or when harassed. Does not tolerate cold climates because it lacks the necessary layers of insulating fat. Essentially a grazer, but browses when grass is scarce. Eyesight is excellent, sense of smell and hearing are good.

HABITAT Woodlands and dense riverine thickets, especially near areas with grass and water. Requires thick scrub for cover and shade.

DISTRIBUTION Australia: Queensland, with the largest concentration centered in Maryvale Creek Valley near Charters Towers and on private estates. New Zealand: Introduced near Dusky Sound on South Island in 1908, but did not thrive and eventually disappeared.

TAXONOMIC NOTES The main population near Charters Towers is probably of the Sri Lanka race (ceylonensis), as that is where the original stock reportedly originated. Deer of the Indian race (axis) were imported in New South Wales, but they appear to have died out.

REMARKS Axis deer from India were the first deer to arrive in Australia, reaching New South Wales about 1803 or earlier. Others were imported in 1829, 1862, 1865, 1867 and 1872, but none survived. The first successful transplant was launched in northeastern Queensland in 1886 with one hind from Sri Lanka, which was joined a few years later by two stags and a second hind from the same source. Despite several attempts to establish axis deer in New Zealand, none has been seen there since about 1930. Also introduced in Tasmania, but died out because the climate was too cold for this species.