Axis Deer

The scientific name of the Axis Deer is Axis axis. It belongs to the order Artiodactyla, family Cervidae. The Axis Deer is native to the Indian subcontinent and is found in India, Nepal, Bangladesh, and Sri Lanka. These animals are very hardy and adaptable, which makes them easy to introduce to many places of the world with various climates and various foods available. The Axis Deer appeared in America in the 1930s and soon became very numerous in Texas, Florida, and Hawaii. These beautiful animals can live both in the proximity of people in parks and reserves and in the wild.

Axis Deer can thrive on a variety of grasses and shoots. They prefer secondary forests broken by glades with a dense understory. Close proximity of water sources is very important for them. Axis Deer avoid rugged terrain and places with no shelter. Usually, Axis Deer live in herds of 10 to 100 individuals. Adult bucks can stay with the herd or live alone. Does stay in their mother herds for many years.

Axis Deer are not very large, ranging in weight from 30 to 80 kg. Males are much larger and brighter in color than females. The coat color in this species is striking reddish-brown with darker facial markings, white underparts and bright white spots arranged in rows along the sides. Axis Deer have a white spot on the neck and a black dorsal stripe. The antlers in this species have from 3 to 6 points and are around 20-30 inches in length. Bucks grow and shed them on their own clock and there can be shed bucks, velvet bucks and hard horn bucks in the same herd. Females don’t have antlers. The average lifespan of the species is around 10 years. In captivity, Axis Deer can live up to 20 years.

Though Axis Deer can breed throughout the year, the peak breeding time occurs in May and June. The gestation period of this species is 210 to 238 days. Usually, one fawn is born; twins are very rare. Females are able to breed and give birth every year. Fawns are fed mother milk for 4-6 months, but they can also eat grass by the age of 5 weeks. A fawn stays with the mother after the next one is born. Axis Deer reach their adult size at 4-6 years.