Barking Deer, Nepal
Barking Deer, Central Zoo Kathmandu
One of the species of animals I saw for the first time on my visit to Nepal was the Muntjac, commonly called a Barking Deer. I saw this species fleetingly from the back of an elephant in the forest area of the Royal Chitwan National Park. It was so quick and so well camouflaged in the poor light of the forest I was unable to get a good photo of it. I was therefore very pleased to be able to photograph this species in Central Zoo in Kathmandu a few days later. Not the same as getting a shot at one in its natural environment but still pleasing. One day I hope to return to Chitwan for a longer stay and get some better photos.
Shy and Elusive
The Barking Deer is a shy and elusive member of the deer family. It is found over a wide range of dense forests throughout India and southern Nepal. Its name is derived from its distinct call which sounds just like a barking dog. This deer can grow to between 50 and 75cm in height with a weight of 20-30kg. They are usually a solitary species, rarely being seen in the company of others. They are primarily grass and fruit eaters.
For more information click on these links:
- Wildlife of India
- Muntjac – from Wikipedia
- Indian Muntjac – from America Zoo
Swamp Deer, Nepal
Swamp Deer in Central Zoo, Kathmandu
During my visit to Nepal I spent a few days in the Royal Chitwan National Park. This is in the Terai area of southern Nepal. As a part of that visit I went on several elephant rides through the park. The main purpose of these rides was to see tigers and rhinoceros. We weren’t lucky enough to see any tigers – most people don’t – but we did see several of the local rhinos.
On these rides we also came across a family group of Swamp Deer, or more correctly, Barasingha. These beautiful deer are native to India and Nepal. The group we saw from the elephant’s back was quite a distance away and it was rather gloomy, so I didn’t get a good photo. The photo above was taken in the Central Zoo in Kathmandu later in the week.
The Barasingha (sometimes spelt Barasinga) is a type of deer, native to India and Nepal. In Assam in the North-East India, Barasingha is traditionally known as Dolhorina similar to its English name as dol in Assamese means swamp. In Central India it is called goinjak (male) or gaoni (female). The most striking feature of a barasingha is its antlers, with 10-14 tines on a mature stag, though some have been known to have up to 20. The name is derived from this and means 12 tined or horned in Hindi. (From Wikipedia article)
Links:
- Barasingha – article in Wikipedia about the Swamp Deer.
- Travels in Nepal #55 Elephant ride
- Travels in Nepal #56 Rhinoceros
- Travels in Nepal #57 Tigers in Nepal
- Travels in Nepal #58 Another Rhinoceros
Artificial lake at Central Zoo, Kathmandu, Nepal
Central Zoo, Kathmandu
In the centre of the Central Zoo in Kathmandu there is a large artificial lake. This lake dominates the zoo property and probably occupies about a third of the available space. Visitors can hire a four seater paddle boat to go out on to the lake, something which is popular with the locals. As is usual with such lakes around the world, feral populations of ducks and geese are common residents of the lake and its shores.
Artificial lake in Central Zoo, Kathmandu
Black Buck antelope in Nepal
Black Buck in Central Zoo, Kathmandu
I photographed this beautiful male Black Buck antelope in the Central Zoo in Kathmandu, Nepal. I was not lucky enough to see this magnificent species in the wild while I was visiting Nepal. The following details come from the Wikipedia article on this animal.
Blackbuck (Antilope cervicapra) is a species of antelope found mainly in India, but also in parts of Pakistan and Nepal. There are also introduced populations in various parts of the world.
The horns of the Blackbuck are ringed with 3 to 4 turns and can be as long as 28 inches. The Adult males can grow as tall as 32 inches and can weigh as much as 95 pounds. In the male, the upper body is black (dark brown), and the belly and eye rings are white. The light-brown female is usually hornless. Blackbucks usually roam the plains in herds of 15 to 20 animals with one dominant male.There are four subspecies or geographic races.
Spotted Deer
Spotted Deer and Black Buck in Central Zoo, Kathmandu
On my visit to the Central Zoo in Kathmandu I was able to see some Spotted Deer up close in one of the exhibits. These are common animals throughout the world in zoos and parks and even in private collections.
I was fortunate to see some of this species of deer in their natural habitat in southern Nepal when I visited Royal Chitwan National Park. In the rainforest it is much harder to get good photos of these animals, of course, so I was pleased to get this very clear photo in the zoo.
The chital (or cheetal) deer, also known as the spotted deer or axis deer is a deer which commonly inhabits wooded regions of Sri Lanka, Nepal, Bangladesh, and most of India. It is the most common deer species in Indian forests. Its coat is reddish fawn, marked with white spots, and its underparts are white. Its antlers, which it sheds annually, are usually three-pronged and curve in a lyre shape and may extend to 75 cm.
Chital eat primarily grasses and vegetation, but also eat their shed antlers as a source of nutrients.
A chital stands about 90 cm tall at the shoulder and masses about 85 kg. Lifespan is around 20-30 years. (Quotes from Wikipedia)
Related Articles:
- Travels in Nepal #56 Rhinoceros
- Travels in Nepal # 57 Tigers in Nepal
- Travels in Nepal #58 Another Rhinoceros
- Spotted Deer at Monarto Zoological Park – this articles gives many details about Spotted Deer. The Monarto Zoo is my local zoo, being only a ten minutes drive from where I live.