Barasingha or Swamp Deer
General Characteristics
The coat is generally orange to brown color, with males being slightly darker than females. During the summer, the hair lightens, and some populations develop faint spots on the back and sides. The underparts, including the underside of the tail, are whitish. There is a dark dorsal stripe, on each side of which may be a row of light spots. The smooth antlers are worn only by males, and have a crown-like look with the points concentrated near the tips of the arching antler beam. As the barasingha's name suggests, there may be 12 or even up to 15 points per head (6-8 on each antler), with each antler growing up to 3.3 feet in length.
Conservation Status
The barasingha is considered a vulnerable species
Distribution
Marshy grasslands, floodplains, and meadows in northern India.
Ecology and Behavior
The barasingha may be active at any time during the day. During the breeding season males attempt to gather harems of up to 30 females. In order to gain breeding privileges, males fight amongst each other in order to create a dominance hierarchy from which the higher ranking individuals having priority access to females in heat. During this time, the stags often call out with a roaring sound. The other major vocalization of this deer is an alarm call which consists of a shrill bark. Population density estimates have been variable, ranging from 0.2-30 animals per square kilometer.
Family group: Single sex or mixed herds of 13-20 animals, rarely over 500 individuals.
Diet: Grasses, rarely leaves.
Main Predators: Tiger, leopard
The coat is generally orange to brown color, with males being slightly darker than females. During the summer, the hair lightens, and some populations develop faint spots on the back and sides. The underparts, including the underside of the tail, are whitish. There is a dark dorsal stripe, on each side of which may be a row of light spots. The smooth antlers are worn only by males, and have a crown-like look with the points concentrated near the tips of the arching antler beam. As the barasingha's name suggests, there may be 12 or even up to 15 points per head (6-8 on each antler), with each antler growing up to 3.3 feet in length.
Conservation Status
The barasingha is considered a vulnerable species
Distribution
Marshy grasslands, floodplains, and meadows in northern India.
Ecology and Behavior
The barasingha may be active at any time during the day. During the breeding season males attempt to gather harems of up to 30 females. In order to gain breeding privileges, males fight amongst each other in order to create a dominance hierarchy from which the higher ranking individuals having priority access to females in heat. During this time, the stags often call out with a roaring sound. The other major vocalization of this deer is an alarm call which consists of a shrill bark. Population density estimates have been variable, ranging from 0.2-30 animals per square kilometer.
Family group: Single sex or mixed herds of 13-20 animals, rarely over 500 individuals.
Diet: Grasses, rarely leaves.
Main Predators: Tiger, leopard