Hello and welcome to the first part of the last in the
series blog on the threated wildlife of Southeast Asia. This week we take a
look at a rare ungulate, the Philippine Spotted Deer, Rusa alfredi. As usual
the first part of the section takes a look at the species ecology, range,
biology and behaviour, we hope you enjoy it.
Philippine Spotted Deer Rusa alfredi (Newquay Zoo.org 2012).
Ecology
There was once a time when this species of deer could be
found from sea level to at least 2,000 metres above, in both primary forest and
secondary growth (Cox 1987) .
Nowadays however, the species is forced to exist in degraded habitats such as cogon grasslands as long as there is sufficient cover (Cox 1987).
The preferred habitat of the deer remains unclear however, due to them being restricted to the steep and rugged slopes of dipterocarp forest which prove impossible for humans to access (Cox 1987).
Philippine Spotted Deer, Rusa alfredi, are nocturnal and so as you would expect all their feeding is done at night (Rabor 1977).
Reports vary as to what the diet preference of the species is, one report in 2008, witnessed captive individuals "relishing" fruits and describing them as being a predominate browser (Oliver et al 2008).
Other reports have stated the main diet preference to be young shoots of corgon grass, young leaves and buds all found near the forest floor (Rabor 1977).
Nowadays however, the species is forced to exist in degraded habitats such as cogon grasslands as long as there is sufficient cover (Cox 1987).
The preferred habitat of the deer remains unclear however, due to them being restricted to the steep and rugged slopes of dipterocarp forest which prove impossible for humans to access (Cox 1987).
Philippine Spotted Deer, Rusa alfredi, are nocturnal and so as you would expect all their feeding is done at night (Rabor 1977).
Reports vary as to what the diet preference of the species is, one report in 2008, witnessed captive individuals "relishing" fruits and describing them as being a predominate browser (Oliver et al 2008).
Other reports have stated the main diet preference to be young shoots of corgon grass, young leaves and buds all found near the forest floor (Rabor 1977).
Range
As the name suggests, this species deer is endemic to the
central Philippines, specifically the islands of Western Visayan Islands
otherwise known as the Negros-Panay Faunal Region. This shows the serious
nature of the decline of this ungulate (Heaney et al. 1998, Grubb 2005, Oliver 1993a, 1996).
They once existed on the islands of Panay, Guimaras, Negros, Cebu, Masbate and it is thought it may well have also inhabited the Ticao Islands as well (Heaney et al. 1998, Grubb 2005, Oliver 1993a, 1996).
Between the years of 1991 and 1993 it was thought a few individuals still existed on the island of Masbate but by now that population is almost certainly extinct, and if not officially definitely functionally (Grubb 2005, Oliver 1993a, 1996).
At present the only populations left existing in the wild can be found in the Mount Madja- Mount Baloy area of West Panay and on the sparse widely distributed patches of forest on Negros (Cox 1987, Oliver et al. 1992).
It is thought there are fewer than 2,500 mature individuals left in the wild and it is unlikely there are more than 250 mature individuals in any sub-population (IUCN 2008).
They once existed on the islands of Panay, Guimaras, Negros, Cebu, Masbate and it is thought it may well have also inhabited the Ticao Islands as well (Heaney et al. 1998, Grubb 2005, Oliver 1993a, 1996).
Between the years of 1991 and 1993 it was thought a few individuals still existed on the island of Masbate but by now that population is almost certainly extinct, and if not officially definitely functionally (Grubb 2005, Oliver 1993a, 1996).
At present the only populations left existing in the wild can be found in the Mount Madja- Mount Baloy area of West Panay and on the sparse widely distributed patches of forest on Negros (Cox 1987, Oliver et al. 1992).
It is thought there are fewer than 2,500 mature individuals left in the wild and it is unlikely there are more than 250 mature individuals in any sub-population (IUCN 2008).
Below is an illustration of the very limited range of the Philippine Spotted Deer Rusa Alfredi (Oliver et al 2008).
Biology
The Philippine Spotted Deer, Rusa alfredi, can be considered
as a small member of the deer family, with their body weight ranging from 36 to
59 kg (Key 2003) body length ranges from 120-130cm, shoulder height 60-80 cm ( Deerworld 2006).
Tail length ranges from 8- 13 cm long (Deerworld 2006).
Males are far larger than the females (Key 2003). Male Deer, like other deer species, have evolved sexual ornamentation in the form of antlers, which can be used for fighting other males during the rutting season and for attracting the attention of females (Key 2003).
The antlers themselves are grown from bony pedicles which can be anything up to roughly 4.5 cm in length (Grubb and Grooves 1983).
The antlers, which are short and stout in appearance, will also usually have three tines, or points, and this includes a brow tine (Grubb and Groves 1983).
The mating season otherwise known as the rut is from November to December, after which a gestation period of 240 days. The young are born in the April and May of the following year (Whitehead1993).
It would seem a single fawn is the most common occurrence at birth (Oliver et al. 2008) although two have been recorded (Key 2003), the young are born with spots (Whitehead 1993).
The nursing period can last from a few weeks to a few months and the young may stay with their mother after the weaning period is over (Nowak 1999).
Recently a study revealed that some individuals in captivity breed all year round, this has since opened up the possibility that the same principle applies in wild individuals (Oliver et al. 2008).
Tail length ranges from 8- 13 cm long (Deerworld 2006).
Males are far larger than the females (Key 2003). Male Deer, like other deer species, have evolved sexual ornamentation in the form of antlers, which can be used for fighting other males during the rutting season and for attracting the attention of females (Key 2003).
The antlers themselves are grown from bony pedicles which can be anything up to roughly 4.5 cm in length (Grubb and Grooves 1983).
The antlers, which are short and stout in appearance, will also usually have three tines, or points, and this includes a brow tine (Grubb and Groves 1983).
The mating season otherwise known as the rut is from November to December, after which a gestation period of 240 days. The young are born in the April and May of the following year (Whitehead1993).
It would seem a single fawn is the most common occurrence at birth (Oliver et al. 2008) although two have been recorded (Key 2003), the young are born with spots (Whitehead 1993).
The nursing period can last from a few weeks to a few months and the young may stay with their mother after the weaning period is over (Nowak 1999).
Recently a study revealed that some individuals in captivity breed all year round, this has since opened up the possibility that the same principle applies in wild individuals (Oliver et al. 2008).
The antlers of this species of deer are relatively small;
however the tines are still prominent (waza.org no date).
Behaviour
This species of deer is typically a social animal, however
it is only found in small groups usually of roughly three individuals in the
wild males although they are often seen alone (Oliver et al. 2008).
In captivity larger groups have successfully lived together suggesting the occurrence is down to human interference rather than a biological preference (Oliver et al. 2008).
Very little is known about large parts of Philippine Spotted Deer Rusa alfredi behaviour (Cox 1987).
It is thought the behaviour of this species is likely to be very similar to those of other species closely related to it. Based on this principle, it is thought that the mating system for this species is polygyny, where males compete with each other for access to estrous females (Nowak 1999).
Competition between the males is a mixture of non-contact competition, (vocalisation) and contact (sparring). The victorious male usually the older, stronger individual then has access to the females (Nowak 1999).
The Philippine Spotted Deer Rusa Alfredi is a nocturnal and so does all its feeding by night, after forest fires, individual animals will come to the source and lick the ash; it is assumed this is to gain minerals and to feed from new shoots (Rabor 1977).
In captivity larger groups have successfully lived together suggesting the occurrence is down to human interference rather than a biological preference (Oliver et al. 2008).
Very little is known about large parts of Philippine Spotted Deer Rusa alfredi behaviour (Cox 1987).
It is thought the behaviour of this species is likely to be very similar to those of other species closely related to it. Based on this principle, it is thought that the mating system for this species is polygyny, where males compete with each other for access to estrous females (Nowak 1999).
Competition between the males is a mixture of non-contact competition, (vocalisation) and contact (sparring). The victorious male usually the older, stronger individual then has access to the females (Nowak 1999).
The Philippine Spotted Deer Rusa Alfredi is a nocturnal and so does all its feeding by night, after forest fires, individual animals will come to the source and lick the ash; it is assumed this is to gain minerals and to feed from new shoots (Rabor 1977).
And that concludes our first part on this rare species of
deer, keep an eye out for the second part of the section where we take a look
at the threats, conservation and what the future holds for the Philippine
Spotted Deer, Rusa alfredi.
References
References
Cox, R. 1987. The Philippine spotted deer and the Visayan
warty pig. Oryx 21(1): 37-42.
Grubb, C., and C. P. Groves. 1983. Notes on the taxonomy of
the deer (Mammalia: Cervidae) of the Philippines. Zoologischer Anzeiger; 210
(1-2): 119-144.
Grubb, P. 2005. Artiodactyla. In: D. E. Wilson and D. M.
Reeder (eds), Mammal Species of the World. A Taxonomic and Geographic Reference
(3rd ed), pp. 637-722. Johns Hopkins University Press, Baltimore, USA.
Heaney, L. R., Balete, D. S., Dolar, M. L., Alcala, A. C.,
Dans, A. T. L., Gonzales, P. C., Ingle, N. R., Lepiten, M. V., Oliver, W. L.
R., Ong, P. S., Rickart, E. A., Tabaranza Jr., B. R. and Utzurrum, R. C. B.
1998. . A synopsis of the Mammalian Fauna of the Philippine Islands. Fieldiana:
Zoology 88: 1-61
Iucnredlist.org, 2008. Available at http://www.iucnredlist.org/details/4273/0.
Date visited 15th January 2013.
Key,N. 2003. "Rusa
alfredi" On-line, Animal Diversity Web. Available at http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/accounts/Rusa_alfredi/.
Date visited 15th January 2013.
Newquayzoo.org,2013. Available at http://www.newquayzoo.org.uk/animals-plants/animals/details/deer-philippine-spotted. Date visited 15th
January 2013.
Nowak, R. 1999. Walker's Mammals of the World. Baltimore,
Maryland: The Johns Hopkins University Press.
Oliver, W. L. R. 1993. Threatened endemic mammals of the
Philippines: an integrated approach to the management of wild and captive
populations. In: P. J. S. Olney, G. M. Mace and A. T. C. Feistner (eds),
Creative Conservation: Interactive Management of Wild and Captive Animals, pp.
467-477. Chapman & Hall, London, UK.
Oliver, W. L. R. 1996. Philippine spotted deer (Cervus
alfredi) conservation program. IUCN/SSC Deer Specialist Group Newsletter 13:
14. f the Mammalian Fauna of the Philippine Islands. Fieldiana: Zoology 88:
1-61.
Oliver, W. L. R., C. R. Cox, and L. L. Dolar. 1991. The
Philippine spotted deer conservation project. Oryx; 25(4): 199-205.
Oliver, W. L. R., Dolar, M. L. and Alcala, E. 1992. The
Philippine spotted deer, Cervus alfredi Sclater, conservation program. Silliman
Journal 36: 47-54
Oliver, W., J. MacKinnon, L. Heaney, and E. Lastica. 2008.
Rusa alfredi. InIUCN 2010. IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2010.1.
Available online at the IUCN Redlist website.
Rabor, D. S. 1977. Philippine Birds and Mammals: A project
of the U. P. Science Education Center. Quezon City: University of Philippines
Press.
Waza.org, no date. Available
at http://www.waza.org/en/zoo/pick-a-picture/rusa-alfredi.
Whitehead, K. 1993. The Whitehead Encyclopedia of Deer.
Stillwater, MN: Swan Hill Press.
World Deer. February, 2006. Available at http://www.worlddeer.org/philippinespotteddeer.html.
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