The sambar (Rusa unicolor) is a large forest-dwelling deer widely distributed from South Asia to Southeast Asia; it favors water and is observed swimming and feeding in water. It eats grasses, leaves, fruits and other plant matter, and also uses salt licks as a mineral source. Males tend to be solitary while females form maternal groups; the peak breeding season varies by region, gestation lasts about eight months, and usually a single fawn is born. Populations are declining and it is classified as Vulnerable (IUCN Red List category II).