What do barking deer eat

This species is one of eleven different species of muntjacs spread across Asia. The Indian muntjacs specifically are widespread throughout Southern Asia, but are one of the least known Asian animals. Paleontological evidence proves that Indian muntjacs have been around since the late Pleistocene epoch at least 12, years ago. Since then, they have played a major role in Southern Asia, being hunted for sport as well as for their meat and skin.

Often these animals are hunted around the outskirts of agricultural areas as they are considered a nuisance for damaging crops and ripping bark from trees. However, this animal is still in an abundance in Southern Asia, numbering anywhere from , , in India alone as of The Indian muntjac has a short but very soft, thick, dense coat, especially those living in cooler regions. Coloration of the coat changes from dark brown to yellowish and grayish brown depending on the season.

The muntjacs' coat is golden tan on the dorsal side and white on the ventral side of the body, the limbs are dark brown to reddish brown, and the face is dark brown. However, the ears have very little hair which barely covers them.

Male muntjacs have antlers that are very short, about inches, usually consisting of only two or three points at the most and protrude from long body hair covered pedicels on the forehead. Females have tufts of fur and small bony knobs where the antlers are located in males. Males also have slightly elongated upper canines about an inch long that curve slightly outward from the lips and have the capability to inflict serious injury upon other animals or to other members of the population while exhibiting aggression.

Males are generally larger than females. The body length of muntjacs varies from in long and their height ranges from in tall. The Indian muntjac is among the most widespread but least known of all mammals in South Asia. This species is most densely located in Southeast Asia. The Indian muntjac is found in tropical and subtropical deciduous forests, grasslands, savannas, and scrub forests, as well as in the hilly country on the slopes of the Himalayas.

They never wander far from water. Also, males usually have their own territory, which may overlap the territories of a few females but not of another male. The Indian muntjacs are classified as omnivores. They are considered both browsers and grazers with a diet consisting of grasses, ivy, prickly bushes, low growing leaves, bark, twigs, herbs, fruit, sprouts, seeds, tender shoots, bird eggs and small warm-blooded animals.

Indian muntjacs are typically found feeding at the edge of the forest or in abandoned clearings. Their large canine teeth help in the processes of retrieving and ingesting food. The Indian muntjacs are polygamous animals.

They have excellent eyesight during day and night and are usually active during daytime. However, barking deer can become nocturnal when they are too heavily disturbed during the day. Diet: The barking deer is an omnivore feeding on leaves and fruits as well as on bird eggs and small animals. Habitat: The barking deer is one of the most widespread and at the same time little known animal in Southeast Asia.

It can be found in forests as well as in savannas, hilly area and grassland. Barking deers usually stay rather close to water. By feeding on young trees, deer can prevent the natural growth of new woodland a process known as natural regeneration.

Large numbers of deer can also eat plants that other wildlife, such as birds and insects, depend on for food and shelter. Historically, predators such as wolves and lynx would have kept deer numbers in check, limiting these impacts.

Free from such predation, UK deer numbers may have now reached a 1,year high. Deer antlers are actually made of bone. Red deer grow the largest antlers, which can reach an impressive three feet in length and have 15 points or more. Muntjac antlers are the smallest, often growing no longer than 10cm. The reindeer Rangifer tarandus is the only species where both males and females have antlers. Only males grow antlers, which are shed and regrown each year. When they first emerge, antlers are covered in a soft, hairy-like material known as velvet.

This provides oxygen and nutrients to the bone, helping it to grow rapidly. Velvet is eventually shed by rubbing the antlers against a tree. By this point the antlers have completely hardened and are ready to be used in fights between deer. Red, fallow, sika and roe deer all use their antlers to fight for access to females. When ready to breed, rival males will lock antlers, pushing and twisting until the weaker of the two flees, leaving the victor free to mate.

This behaviour is known as rutting. These roe deer will use their antlers to fight during the rut.