Science
Zoology

Cervinae (elk, muntjacs, and tufted deer)

Cervinae
The deer in this subfamily are also called the Old World deer. They are found in Eurasia. one species, the elk or red deer, is found in North America and Africa. These deer are found in lowland habitats including grasslands, swamps, and forests.


elk

Key: profile Article Photos Photos Video Video Audio Audio

Vulnerable Vulnerable Endangered Endangered Critically Endangered Critically Endangered extinct inthe wild Extinct in the Wild extinct Extinct
Status taken from ICUN Redlist
 
Cervinae Genera  
button Axis (axis deer)
button Cervus (elk, sika deer)
button Dama (fallow deer)
button Elaphodus (tufted deer)
button Elaphurus (Pere David's deer)
button Muntiacus (muntjacs)
button Przewalskium (white-lipped deer)
button Rucervus (south Asian deer)
button Rusa (sambar and rusa deer)
   
Cervinae Resources  
button Lesson Plans
button Games/Interactives
button Video 		  

Websites

Axis (axis deer)

Bawean Deer Critically Endangered Species Profile images
The Bawean deer is only found on Bawean Island in Indonesia.
Source: Animal Diversity Web Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle /High School Teacher Section: Yes Searchable: Yes

Calamian Deer Endangered Species Profile images
The Calamian deer is only found on the Calamian Islands, a group of islands in the Philippines.
Source: Arkive Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle /High School Teacher Section: Yes Searchable: Yes

Calamian Deer Endangered Species Profile images
The Calamian deer is sometimes known as the hog deer because when fleeing from danger it dashes through underbrush with its head down like a hog instead of jumping over barriers like other deer.
Source: Los Angeles Zoo Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle School Teacher Section: Yes Searchable: Yes

Chital Species Profile images
The chital or axis deer is native to India and Sri Lanka.
Source: Animal Diversity Web Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle /High School Teacher Section: Yes Searchable: Yes

Chital Species Profile images
The chital is a large deer with a fawn colored coat with white spots.
Source: BBC Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle School Teacher Section: No Searchable: Yes

Hog Deer Endangered Species Profile images
The hog deer was once found from Pakistan to China. It is now found in isolated populations in its former range.
Source: Animal Diversity Web Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle /High School Teacher Section: Yes Searchable: Yes

Hog Deer Endangered images
The hog deer is a stocky, medium-sized deer with a reddish-brown coat.
Source: Arkive Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle School Teacher Section: No Searchable:

Cervus (elk, sika deer)

Elk Species Profile images Video Audio
When male elk are competing for females, they will call out loudly and use their impressive antlers to clash with each other.
Source: Smithsonian Museum of Natural History Intended Audience: Students Reading Level: Elementary/Middle School Teacher Section: Yes Searchable: Yes

Elk Species Profile images
Elk, also known as red deer, were once found throughout much of the Northern Hemisphere, from Europe through northern Africa, Asia, and North America.
Source: Animal Diversity Web Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle /High School Teacher Section: Yes Searchable: Yes

Elk Species Profile images Video
The male elk's branched antlers can reach can reach over 3 feet in width.
Source: Arkive Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle School Teacher Section: Yes Searchable: Yes

Sika Deer Species Profile images
Sika deer are native to Siberia; China, Japan, Korea, Taiwan, and parts of Vietnam. They have been introduced around the worlds, including in the US.
Source: Animal Diversity Web Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle /High School Teacher Section: Yes Searchable: Yes

Sika Deer Species Profile images Video
The sika deer has a grayish-brown coat in winter, which becomes lighter in color in summer.
Source: Arkive Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle School Teacher Section: Yes Searchable: Yes

Sika Deer Species Profile photos
The sika deer has a medium-sized body, a small head, and white spots.
Source: Oakland Zoo Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Elementary School Teacher Section: Yes Searchable: Yes

Sika Deer Species Profile images
The size of sika deer varies greatly depending on the subspecies.
Source: World Association of Zoos and Aquariums
Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle School Teacher Section: Yes Searchable: Yes

Dama (fallow deer)

Fallow Deer Species Profile images Video
The male fallow deer has an impressive set of antlers that can reach a height of over 2 feet.
Source: Arkive Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle School Teacher Section: Yes Searchable: Yes

Fallow Deer Species Profile images
Fallow deer are native to southern Europe, Asia and northern Africa. They have been introduced to locations around the world, including North America.
Source: Animal Diversity Web Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle /High School Teacher Section: Yes Searchable: Yes

Elaphodus (tufted deer)

Tufted Deer Species Profile images
The tufted deer gets its name from the tuft of brown fur on its forehead.
Source: Arkive Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle School Teacher Section: Yes Searchable: Yes

Tufted Deer Species Profile images
Both male and female tufted deer can jump like cats and make barking sounds like dogs.
Source: Los Angeles Zoo Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle School Teacher Section: Yes Searchable: Yes

Tufted Deer Species Profile images
The tufted deer is found in northeast Myanmar and southern and central China.
Source: Animal Diversity Web Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle /High School Teacher Section: Yes Searchable: Yes

Tufted Deer Species Profile photos
Tufted deer are usually solitary, although they may travel in pairs.
Source: National Zoo Intended Audience: Students Reading Level: Elementary/Middle School Teacher Section: Yes Searchable: Yes

Elaphurus (Pere David's deer)

Pere David's Deer extinct inthe wild Species Profile images Video
The Chinese name of this deer is ‘sze pu shiang' which means as ‘none of the four' because it looks like it has the neck of a camel, the hooves of a cow, the tail of a donkey, and antlers of a deer!
Source: Arkive Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle School Teacher Section: Yes Searchable: Yes

Pere David's Deer extinct inthe wild Species Profile images
Pere David's deer native to China. It is now extinct in the wild.
Source: Animal Diversity Web Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle /High School Teacher Section: Yes Searchable: Yes

Pere David's Deer extinct inthe wild Species Profile images
Pere David's deer was probably extinct in the wild around the end of the Han Dynasty (AD 220), but a herd was kept in the Imperial Hunting Park south of Beijing.
Source: World Association of Zoos and Aquariums Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle School Teacher Section: No Searchable: No

Muntiacus (muntjacs)

Black Muntjac Vulnerable Species Profile images
The black muntjac is native to China and Myanmar.
Source: Animal Diversity Web Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle /High School Teacher Section: Yes Searchable: Ye

Bornean Yellow Muntjac Species Profile images
The Bornean yellow muntjac is found throughout the island of Borneo.
Source: Animal Diversity Web Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle /High School Teacher Section: Yes Searchable: Yes

Fea's Muntjac Species Profile images
Fea's muntjacs are found in Thailand and southern Myanmar.
Source: Animal Diversity Web Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle /High School Teacher Section: Yes Searchable: Yes

Giant Muntjac Endangered Species Profile
The giant muntjac is found in the Annamite Mountains on the border of Vietnam and Laos.
Source: Animal Diversity Web Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle /High School Teacher Section: Yes Searchable: Yes

Gongshan Muntjac Species Profile images
Gongshan muntjacs are found in Southern China, Tibet, Myanmar, and Northern Thailand.
Source: Animal Diversity Web Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle /High School Teacher Section: Yes Searchable: Yes

Indian Muntjac Species Profile images
Indian muntjacs are found in southern and southeastern Asia, from Pakistan east through India and Nepal, across southeast Asia and southern China.
Source: Animal Diversity Web Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle /High School Teacher Section: Yes Searchable: Yes

Indian Muntjac Species Profile images
The canine teeth of the male muntjac are tusks.
Source: Oakland Zoo Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Elementary School Teacher Section: Yes Searchable: Yes

Indian Muntjac Species Profile images
Indian muntjacs use their long tongues to strip leaves off trees.
Source: St. Louis Zoo Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Elementary/Middle School Teacher Section: Yes Searchable: Yes

Reeves' Muntjac Species Profile images
Reeve's muntjacs are native to southeastern China and Taiwan.
Source: Animal Diversity Web Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle /High School Teacher Section: Yes Searchable: Yes

Reeves' Muntjac Species Profile images Video
This small deer has a reddish coat which turns brownish-gray in winter.
Source: Arkive Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle School Teacher Section: Yes Searchable: Yes

Reeves' Muntjac Species Profile images
The Reeves' muntjac gets its name from John Russell Reeves, who introduced the deer into Britain in the 1830s.
Source: Lincoln's Children's Zoo Intended Audience: Students Reading Level: Elementary School Teacher Section: No Searchable: Yes

Reeves' Muntjac Species Profile images Video
Reeves' muntjacs are solitary, territorial animals.
Source: St. Louis Zoo Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Elementary/Middle School Teacher Section: Yes Searchable: Yes

Przewalskium (white-lipped deer)

White-lipped Deer Vulnerable Species Profile images
White-lipped deer are native to the Tibetan Plateau region of west central China.
Source: Animal Diversity Web Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle /High School Teacher Section: Yes Searchable: Yes

White-lipped Deer Vulnerable Species Profile images
The white-lipped deer gets its name from a white patch of fur around its mouth. It is also called the Thorold's deer.
Source: Arkive Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle School Teacher Section: Yes Searchable: Yes

Rucervus (south Asian deer)

Barasingha Vulnerable Species Profile images
Barasingha, or swamp deer, were once distributed throughout the Indian peninsula, but today are only found in areas of central and northern India and southern Nepal.
Source: Animal Diversity Web Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle /High School Teacher Section: Yes Searchable: Yes

Barasingha Vulnerable Species Profile images Video
Male barasingas have very large, branching antlers.
Source: Arkive Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle School Teacher Section: Yes Searchable: Yes

Barasingha Vulnerable Species Profile images
Barasingas are found in marshy grasslands, floodplains and meadows.
Source: World Association of Zoos and Aquariums Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle School Teacher Section: No Searchable: No

Eld's Deer endangered Species Profile images
Eld's deer are found in Southeast Asia.
Source: Animal Diversity Web Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle /High School Teacher Section: Yes Searchable: Yes

Eld's Deer endangered Species Profile images Video
Male eld's deer have lyre shaped antlers.
Source: Arkive Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle School Teacher Section: Yes Searchable: Yes

Eld's Deer endangered Species Profile images
Eld's deer are found in open grassy plains, swamps and deciduous forests near of water
Source: World Association of Zoos and Aquariums Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle School Teacher Section: No Searchable: No

Rusa (sambar and rusa deer)

Javan Rusa Species Profile
The Javan rusa is found on most of the islands of Southeast Asia.
Source: Animal Diversity Web Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle /High School Teacher Section: Yes Searchable: Yes

Sambar Species Profile images
Sambars are native to India, Pakistan, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, the Philippines, southern China, Taiwan, Malaysia, Borneo, Sumatra, and Java.
Source: Animal Diversity Web Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle /High School Teacher Section: Yes Searchable: Yes

Sambar Species Profile images
The sambar deer has a coat of coarse brown fur. They are a lighter brown on their undersides.
Source: Arkive Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle School Teacher Section: Yes Searchable: Yes

Visayan Spotted Deer Species Profile images
Visayan spotted deer are found only on the Visayan Islands in the central Philippines.
Source: Animal Diversity Web Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle /High School Teacher Section: Yes Searchable: Yes

Visayan Spotted Deer Species Profile images
Visayan spotted deer have reddish-brown fur with white spots.
Source: Arkive Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle School Teacher Section: Yes Searchable: Yes

 

Antler Horn Match Game
Can you match the correct set of antlers to the animal?