White-lipped deer
Thorold's deer (Cervus albirostris ) is a threatened species of deer found at high altitudes in the eastern Tibetan Plateau. It is also known as the White-lipped deer for the white patches around its muzzle. This deer was first scientifically described by Nikolai Przhevalsky in 1883.
Thorold's deer is one of the largest deer species. Its hair is coarse and grey-brown over most of the body, fading to yellowish buff on the underparts, with a distinct reddish-brown patch on the rump, and a ridge of darker hair running down the spine. During winter, the coat is paler, and about twice as thick as during the summer, being thicker even that of a moose. The head is darker than the rest of the body, especially in males, and contrasts with pure white markings on the lips, around the nose, and the throat just below the chin.
Adult male Thorold's deer have antlers, measuring up to 110 cm (43 in) in beam length, and weighing up to 4 kg (8.8 lb). The antlers can have up to seven tines, which all lie in the same plane. They are shed annually in March, reaching their full length by late summer. Other distinctive features include longer ears than most other deer, lined with white hair, and large metatarsal and preorbital glands. The hooves are broad and heavy, with unusually long dewclaws. The tail is short, at 12 to 13 cm (4.7 to 5.1 in) in length.
Thorold's deer live in the Chinese provinces of Tibet, Sichuan, Qinghai, Gansu, and far northwestern Yunnan. Today, they are found only in scattered populations across these regions, apparently being most numerous in eastern Sichuan. These deer prefer mosaics of grassland, shrubland, and forest, and are often seen above the treeline. They are found at the highest elevations of any deer species and migrate seasonally from high summer pastures to lower terrain in winter.
Thorold's deer are crepuscular animals. They live in herds of at least 10 individuals. Outside of the breeding season, males and females usually travel separately. Historically, herds containing hundreds of such deer were reported, but today, herds of over 100 individuals are rare. To communicate with each other, Thorold’s deer use a range of vocalizations; these include loud alarm calls, which are audible over 500 m (1,600 ft) away, growling sounds made by males in a rut, and quieter grunts or mews made by females and young. They can also make unusual, loud snapping sounds from their carpal bones, the function of which is unclear. Thorold's deer rarely run, but they can gallop at up to 35 miles (56 km) per hour. These animals also have a number of physical and physiological adaptations to their high-altitude environment. The short legs and broad hooves make them agile climbers, able to use steep mountainous terrain to escape predators. Their nasal cavities are unusually large, allowing them to breathe in rarified high-altitude air, while the thick hair protects against the cold.
Thorold’s deer are herbivores (graminivores). They graze on a wide range of available plants, especially grasses and sedges, but will also eat larger plants such as rhododendrons and willows.
Thorold’s deer exhibit a polygynous mating system in which males mate with more than one female during the breeding season. The rut occurs between September and November when herds containing both males and females become more common. Such herds consist of several males, each maintaining a small harem of females that they protect from other males. Males compete with one another in a manner similar to other deer - wrestling with antlers, scent marking, visual displays, and grunting warning sounds. Females give birth to only a single fawn after a gestation period of 220-250 days, typically in either May or June. Shortly before giving birth, each female locates a secluded den, often in bushes or shrubby cover. The fawns are born with white spots and are able to stand within about 40 minutes of birth. Initially, the mother protects her young by moving it between a number of different locations, only visiting it twice a day to allow it to suckle. After about 2 weeks, they rejoin the herd. The fawns’ spots begin to fade after around 6 weeks, and they attain full adult color by the end of their first year. Young are usually weaned at age of 10 months and join sex-segregated herds. They become reproductively mature during their second or third year, although males are rarely successful in the rut until they are at least 5 years old.
Thorold's deer occur only in scattered populations across their former range, although the remoteness of their preferred habitat makes them difficult to study in detail. These animals suffer from advancing human agriculture, including competition from domestic animals such as sheep, goats, and yaks. They are also hunted, for meat, antlers, and other body parts (such as the velvet) used in traditional Chinese medicine.
The IUCN Red List and other sources don’t provide the number of Thorold’s deer total population size. In 1998 it was estimated that only about 7000 individuals were surviving in the wild. There are estimated populations in the following regions: 2,000 individuals in Gansu and Qinghai, and 4,000 individuals in Sichuan and the Tibet Autonomous Region. Currently, this species is classified as Vulnerable (VU) on the IUCN Red List.
Due to their grazing habits, Thorold's deer help control vegetation growth and determine vegetative structure throughout their native range. They are also an important food item for their natural predators.
