🦊

Sika Deer

Cervus nippon

Not yet photographed by the community

Introduced from Asia; spots fade in winter; high-pitched whistle.

Species Profile

Not native to UK; listed as Least Concern globally but considered an invasive species in the UK context.

Lifespan: 10–16 years in the wild, up to 20 years in captivity
Size & Weight: Shoulder height 90–110 cm; weight 40–80 kg (males larger than females)
Habitat: Mixed woodland, coniferous plantations, and open moorland with adequate cover and access to grazing areas.
UK Distribution: Established populations in southern England (New Forest, Dorset, Hampshire), with smaller populations in East Anglia and scattered locations in Scotland and Wales; resident year-round.
Diet: Grasses, heather, bracken, clover, acorns, and tree bark; browsers and grazers depending on season and availability.
Predators: Historically wolves and lynx; currently foxes (fawns only) and occasionally badgers; humans through culling.
Mating Season: September to October (rutting season)
Breeding: Single fawn born after gestation of approximately 230 days, typically in May–June; females reach sexual maturity at 1–2 years.
Behaviour: Males establish territories and engage in vocal rutting calls; highly vocal species with whistles, barks, and shrill alarm calls. Form small herds, though males often solitary outside rut. Crepuscular and nocturnal, most active at dawn and dusk.

Did You Know?

•Sika deer were introduced to the UK from East Asia in the 1860s and have since become naturalised, particularly in southern England.
•Males produce distinctive high-pitched whistling calls during the autumn rut, quite different from the deeper roars of red deer.
•They are highly adaptable and thrive in both commercial forestry and mixed habitats, sometimes hybridising with red deer where ranges overlap.
•Unlike most UK deer, sika retain their spotted coat into adulthood, with white rump patches that flare when alarmed.
•Populations are managed through culling in many areas due to concerns about overgrazing and competition with native species.

🦊

No photos yet

Be the first to photograph a Sika Deer and share it with the community.