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Père David's Deer

Elaphurus davidianus

A water-loving Chinese deer that disappeared from the wild long ago and survived only in captive herds.

🦌 Deer
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About the Père David's Deer

Père David's deer probably lived in swampy lowlands and reed marshes of China. They have reddish-brown summer coats, grayish-brown winter coats and a long tail with a dark tassel. Males weigh about 470 pounds and grow antlers that they shed every winter. Unlike many deer, they love water and will wade up to their shoulders and swim. They eat mostly grasses and water plants.[1]

Quick facts

Scientific name
Elaphurus davidianus[1]
Size
About 6 to 7 feet long, plus a long tail.[1]
Weight
Males about 470 pounds; females about 350 pounds.[1]
Lifespan
About 18 years.[1]
Diet
Herbivore. Mostly grasses, plus water plants in summer.[1]
Habitat
Lowland swamps and reed marshes.[1]
Where it lives
Originally northeastern and east-central China; now parks and zoos.[1]
Group life
Social herds.[1]
Conservation status
Extinct in the Wild (IUCN Red List, assessed 2016).[2]

Fun facts

  • Père David's deer love to swim.[1]
  • Its Chinese name means "none of the four."[1]
  • Males shed their antlers every December or January.[1]

Vocabulary

antler
A bony branch that grows on a deer's head and falls off each year.
extinct in the wild
Living only in zoos or parks, with none left in the wild.
rut
The mating season of deer.
marsh
Wet, low land covered with grasses and reeds.
herbivore
An animal that eats only plants.

See it in person

Sources

  1. [1] Animal Diversity Web, University of Michigan. “Père David's deer (Elaphurus davidianus).” https://animaldiversity.org/accounts/Elaphurus_davidianus/ (accessed 2026-10-02)
  2. [2] IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. “Elaphurus davidianus (Père David's Deer).” https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/7121/22159785 (accessed 2026-10-02)

Facts last checked 2026-10-02.

More Deer

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