Philippines deer
| Philippines deer | ||||||||||||
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Philippines deer ( Cervus mariannus ) |
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| Scientific name | ||||||||||||
| Cervus mariannus | ||||||||||||
| Desmarest , 1822 |
The Philippines deer ( Cervus mariannus , Syn . : Rusa marianna ) is a species of mammal from the deer family (Cervidae).
features
With a body length of 100 to 151 centimeters, a shoulder height of 55 to 70 centimeters and a weight of 40 to 60 kilograms, this deer is one of the smallest of the real deer . Its fur is mostly dark brown in color, with the underside and legs being somewhat lighter, only the underside of the short (around 8 to 12 centimeters long) tail is white. However, some animals, including a group living on Mindanao , have yellow-gray fur. The antlers , which, as with almost all deer, only the males wear, are relatively small.
distribution and habitat
Philippines deer are native to the Philippines , they live on the islands of Luzon , Mindoro , Mindanao and Basilan . The Spaniards introduced them to several groups of islands in the west Pacific - the epithet mariannus is derived from the fact that the species was first described using animals that lived on the Northern Mariana Islands . The stocks on these islands are mostly extinct today, only on Pohnpei there is still a small population, according to some authors.
They inhabit different habitats from open bushland to tropical rainforests to mountain forests up to 2900 meters above sea level.
Way of life
Little is known about the way of life. Philippines deer are shy, nocturnal animals that live solitary or in small groups. The diet consists of grasses and herbs.
threat
Hunting and the destruction of the habitat are the main threats to the Philippines deer. They are still common in remote regions, but stocks are generally declining. The IUCN classifies the species as "endangered" ( vulnerable ).
Systematics
Numerous subspecies have formed, which differ so much in terms of coloration that EH Taylor described eight different species in his work Philippine Land Mammals in 1934 , which, according to today's view, can all be assigned to this species. On the other hand, the Prince Alfred deer of the Visayas is considered a separate species .
literature
- Ronald M. Nowak: Walker's Mammals of the World . The Johns Hopkins University Press, Baltimore 1999, ISBN 0-8018-5789-9 .
- Don E. Wilson, DeeAnn M. Reeder (Eds.): Mammal Species of the World . 3rd edition. The Johns Hopkins University Press, Baltimore 2005, ISBN 0-8018-8221-4 .
Web links
- Rusa marianna onthe IUCN Red List of Threatened Species . Retrieved on October 23, 2009.