Barking deer: A tale of grace and wildness

_{Photo: Kadoorie Farm and Botanic Gardens}

Barking deer are active in Sai Kung at present. Also known as Reeve’s muntjac after a naturalist working for the British East India Company in the 19th century, the creatures have a loud guttural bark that is a little scary when they are close. This is surprising in such a small animal, only 1ft 8ins in height at the shoulder when an adult. It is reddish-brown with striped markings on its face. The belly is creamy white with lighter fur extending to the neck, chin and underside of the tail. Males have short antlers and long upper tusks. Females have bony lumps on their foreheads and black spots.

Reeve’s muntjac feeds on herbs, blossoms, shoots, fungi, berries and grasses. It will eat eggs and meat opportunistically. It barks when mating or provoked. It is a solitary animal, defending small territories it marks with gland secretions. When fighting a male will use its antlers to push an opponent off balance then attack with his tusks. Females become sexually active within the first year of life. Mating is perennial. Girls give birth after being pregnant for up to 220 days.

_{Photo: AFCD}

In Hong Kong barking deer are a protected species under the Wild Animals Protection Ordinance. It is common and widespread so not deemed an endangered species.

“In wooded glades where shadows softly play,

A tale of grace and wildness comes to sway.

Oh gather round, ye listeners, I pray,

For I shall sing of a deer this day.”