
Photo: (c) Utain Pummarin, some rights reserved (CC BY) · CC-BY
Rucervus eldii
Rare visitor: recorded only occasionally in this country
Habitat
Wetlands and marshland
Range
South and Southeast Asia
Size
Head and body 150–180cm; shoulder 110–125cm; tail 20–30cm
Weight
125–175kg
Eld's deer, also known as the thamin or brow-antlered deer, is a medium-sized deer, similar in size and shape to the related barasingha, standing 110–125 cm at the shoulder and weighing 125–175 kg. The rough, coarse coat is reddish brown in summer and dark brown in winter, with males tending to be darker, and the tail is short with no distinct rump patch. Young are born with white spots that fade as they grow. It sheds its antlers every year (Wikipedia, general species account).
The species is active by day and inhabits wetlands and marshland, and mating runs from October to the end of December. Normally a single calf is born after a long gestation, and calves are weaned at about seven months. Three subspecies are recognised, all threatened. It is endemic to South and Southeast Asia.