What is Spotted Deer?

About Spotted Deer:

• The spotted deer, or Chital, is the most common deer species in Indian forests.
• Scientific Name: Axis axis
• Distribution:
  • It is native to the Indian subcontinent.
  • It is widely distributed in Asia, especially in India, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Bhutan, and a small group in Pakistan. 
• Features:
  • It stands at about 35 inches tall and weighs about 187 pounds.
  • It has a reddish-brown coat above and a white underbelly.
  • Both the genders have small white spots on the body, hence named Spotted or Chital.
  • Spotted deer are sexually dimorphic. Males are significantly larger than females, and only male deers possess antlers.
  • Its curved, three-pronged antlers extend nearly 3 feet and shed each year.
  • Lifespan: 20 to 30 years
  • They are social animals. They occur in herds of 10 to 50 individuals, with one or two males and a number of females and young. 
• Conservation Status:
  • IUCN Red List: Least Concern

Q1: What is sexual dimorphism?

It is the differences in appearance between males and females of the same species, such as in colour, shape, size, and structure, that are caused by the inheritance of one or the other sexual pattern in the genetic material.

Source: Pench Tiger Reserve Faces Habitat Strain Due to Spotted Deer Overpopulation