Do you know Reeves' muntjac?
Do you know Reeves' muntjac? Originally from Asia, this funny little deer has appeared in the forests of the Center region for several years. And yet, it still remains largely unknown to the general public.
It is a very fearful animal, explains Paul Hurel, deputy knowledge service manager at the French Biodiversity Office (OFB) in the Center region. That's why it's hard to notice. Some people sometimes confuse it with other animals. Because of its small size and its all-white hindquarters, it can thus be compared from a distance to a hare in full race. Others sometimes take him for a deer. The muntjac is however much smaller than its European cousin. It measures only 50 cm at the withers, describes Paul Hurel. But, like any deer, it has highly developed upper canines and antlers at the top of the head. »Physical characteristics which quickly aroused the curiosity of men.
Introduction to Europe in the 1800s
the muntjac deer appears in animal
Highly prized as an ornamental animal because of its aesthetic qualities, the muntjac deer appears in animal parks in France, and especially in Great Britain, as early as the 1800s. But over the years, some individuals have succeeded in s' escape from their enclosure to colonize the nearby nature. Yes, these wondrous species have merged with their environment in Europe, reveals Paul Hurel. In Britain, the free-roaming muntjac population has grown from a dozen individuals to 50,000 deer in nearly a century. We want to avoid that.
These small animals are solitary and rarely observed in France. But since the beginning of the 2000s, regular reports have taken place in Indre-et-Loire, Loir-et-Cher and Indre, especially in the Poinçonnet forest, while the Cher is not for the moment not concerned.
the muntjac deer does not move much
We assume that animals have escaped from a park in Touraine, says the head of the OFB department. If the muntjac deer does not move much, it lives alone. Each female and each male has its own territory. It is therefore possible that the individuals furthest from the park are descendants of the former.
This dispersion worries the services of the National Office for Hunting and Wildlife (ONCFS). The arrival of this small ungulate on the territory indeed accentuates the herbivory pressure in the forests. Although it is difficult to estimate the number of individuals in the regional territory, we know that the populations are not yet too large, assures Paul Hurel. In fact, a female can usually only have one calf per year. On the other hand, it is an invasive species because it has an impact on the ecosystem. She cohabits with other wild ungulates - deer, roe deer, wild boar… - who have the same diet. It disturbs the fragile sylvo-hunting balance a little more. It grazes young shoots and interferes with forest regeneration.
shoot Muntjac deer
To avoid a situation similar to that across the Channel, hunters are encouraged to shoot Muntjac deer in an attempt to control their numbers. Ultimately, the authorities even hope to eradicate the species from the natural environment.
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