These Vampire Deer Have Three-Inch Fangs Instead of Antlers to Fend Off Rivals
If you’re exploring the wetlands of the southern UK or roaming the swampy habitats of East Asia, you might get lucky and come across a rather strange deer, all fluffy and cute until it displays its frightening set of vampire-like tusks, making you question your own safety.
But don’t worry, these solitary herbivores aren’t here to suck your blood, but rather have swapped their antlers for another tool to rut with other males during mating season, showing just how creative nature can be when it comes to equipping animals with diverse traits.
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A real vampire deer
At first glance, the Chinese water deer (Hydropotes inermis) looks like something between a stuffed animal and a miniature moose. Their large rounded ears, dark button noses, and large eyes give them an almost teddy bear-like charm.
According to the Wildlife TrustTheir coat is a rusty brown for most of the year, fading to a dull gray during the winter, and unlike most other deer, they do not have the white rumped patch that many species exhibit.
Measuring about 1.6 feet at the shoulder and weighing between 25 and 40 pounds, they are larger than a muntjac but smaller than a deer. When startled, they do not run away like other deer, but instead leap high into the air, providing an elegant view through the reeds and marsh grass.
Little deer with long fangs
What really sets Chinese water deer apart are their fangs, or more specifically their elongated canines. In bucks, these tusks can grow up to three inches long and usually erupt in the fall when the deer is about six to seven months old.
They are loosely fixed in the jaw and can be moved using facial muscles, meaning males can tuck them in while feeding and move them forward when it is time to impress or challenge a rival during mating season.
Females also have tusks, although much shorter and often barely visible, as reported by British Deer Society. Since they do not grow antlers, the tusks serve as both a display and a weapon, much like the antlers of other deer species. Interestingly, Chinese water deer are not the only ones to have fangs: tufted deer, musk deer and muntjac also exhibit similar “vampire” teeth. Clearly, nature has a few favorite tricks up its sleeve.
UK population rises since zoo escape
Native to eastern China and Korea, the Chinese water deer prefers wetlands, reed beds, and river banks, wherever they are moist and dense enough to provide shelter. They are good swimmers and have a particular fondness for plants like common comfrey.
With their populations declining in their native range, they have found an unexpected refuge in the United Kingdom. The first deer were brought to London Zoo in 1873, and after several escapes, including from Whipsnade Zoo in 1929, they began to thrive in the wild.
Today, most of the UK population lives in the south-east, making up around 10% of the species’ total global population. Despite their growing range in Britain, water deer remain classified as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List due to habitat loss in their country of origin. Yet their quiet resilience and quirky appearance make them one of nature’s most endearing oddities.
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Article Sources
Our Discovermagazine.com editors use peer-reviewed research and high-quality sources for our articles, and our editors review the articles for scientific accuracy and editorial standards. See the sources used below for this article:
- This article refers to information published in The Wildlife Fund: Chinese water deer
- This article refers to information published in The British Deer Society: Chinese water deer
