About
Sika deer (Cervus nippon). Distributed mainly in Japan and also in China and Russia, with introductions in countries such as the United Kingdom and the United States. They live primarily in forests with dense understory vegetation but also appear near human settlements and in open areas. Males are larger than females and bear antlers; summer pelage shows conspicuous white spots. They are ruminants and seasonally feed on herbs, bamboo grass (Sasa), bark, and fruits. They are typically crepuscular; males occur alone or in bachelor groups, while females form mother–offspring groups. Breeding occurs in autumn, and after a gestation of about 210 days females usually give birth to a single fawn in spring. Overall populations are currently increasing, and the IUCN assesses the species as Least Concern.
