FR 
Père David’s Deer
I.U.C.N status
International Union for Conservation of Nature
Identity card
Grasses, leaves, young shoots, aquatic plants.
Did you know?
The Chinese nicknamed him “sì bù xiàng”, which translates as “who looks like none of the four”. This curious name refers to its appearance: a camel’s neck, cow’s hooves, a donkey’s tail and deer antlers turned backwards. Herds are made up of either males or females accompanied by their young. During the breeding season, males engage in fights to form a harem.
Threats and conservation
Discovered in 1865 by Father Armand David in the imperial gardens of Beijing, the Père David’s deer had already disappeared from the wild. Some individuals were sent to European zoos, and in the 1980s, herds from England were reintroduced to China. Today, more than 1,300 deer live in reserves in their native country.
