Rucervus duvaucelii, G. Cuvier, 1823

Don E. Wilson & Russell A. Mittermeier, 2011, Cervidae, Handbook of the Mammals of the World – Volume 2 Hoofed Mammals, Barcelona: Lynx Edicions, pp. 350-443 : 426

30.

Barasingha.

Rucervus duvaucelii

French: Cerf de Duvaucel / German: Barasingha / Spanish: Ciervo de Duvaucel

Other common names: Swamp Deer; Eastern Barasingha (ranjitsinhi), Hard-ground Barasingha (branderi), Wetland Barasingha (duvaucelii)

Taxonomy. Cervus duvauceli G. Cuvier, 1823 ,

N India.

It is closely related to the extinct Schomburgk’s Deer ( R. schomburgki ). Its scientific name refers to the French naturalist A. Duvaucel, who explored India. Three subspecies are recognized.

Subspecies and Distribution.

R. d. duvaucelii G. Cuvier, 1823 — N India, S Nepal.

R. d. branderi Pocock, 1943 — C India.

R. d. ranpitsinhi Groves, 1982 — NE India.

Descriptive notes. Head-body 180-190 cm, tail 14-19 cm, shoulder height 120-135 cm for males (stags) and 115 cm for females (hinds); weight of adult stags 170-200 kg (up to 270 kg) and adult hinds 140-145 kg. Stags are about 30% heavier than hinds. Largesized deer with a relatively short tail, large and rounded ears. The coat is basically golden brown to reddish-brown in summer, with a dark brown dorsal stripe and whitish underparts. In winter the coatis grayish-brown. Males have a poorly developed neck mane. Newborn calves are spotted. Antlers are dichotomously branched in the upper third of the beam, and each branch is also dichotomously branched. Most adults have five to name “barasingha" means twelve-pointed in six times per beam; the common llong: up lo 104 cm. Pedicles begin to grow Hindi. Adult antlers UC generally * 60-80 cm are z antlers spikes. Antler cyles are iocally synchrtr at about:seven months. The first g “am ¡n April, in ranjitsinhi in October. nilnıl in subspecies dui-imizlu antler casti and in in May-June. or sandy grasslands; also in forests

Habitat. Barasinghas occur mainly in marschy glades. Nonhem subspecies inhabit flooded with an abundant grass layer and gmss lives in dry grassland bordering tall gmsslandfi The open central Indian subspecies sal forest. on grasses and aquatic plants'

Food and Feeding, Pnmarily a feeding grazer. of Females age. They are apparently monoestrous.

Breeding' reach suberty at mo vears ' Maung î occurs ın October-January in Males begin ze to rfpwduce - rrom tour years of subspecies ranjitsinhi, I rn December-Febnrary rn branderi2. duvaucelii , in April August in Males move m mdiuoml] nmmg 'where bugling_ and wallowing_ are common. ground; After f abo 1 250 ds' give birth to a single fawn weighing around a pmgnancy „ da“ hi" 7 kg. CÁI-; remain hidden for 10-Weaning occurs at six months ofage. Maxic 15 days. mum longevity in captivity is 21 of age. _ Tigers (Panthera _ tigris) are the main_ preda- years tom of adults. Goldenjarkals (Canis aumuzfomcümes kl" calves and Yearllngs-

Movements, Home range and Social organization. a gregarious species. Males form small male groups and females small family groups. During the rutting season Barasinghas form mixed-sex groups. Aggregations of up to 250 animals are observed.

Activity patterns. Active during early morning, afternoon, and early evening.

Status and Conservation. Classified as Vulnerable on The IUCN Red List. Originally it was widely distributed in the grasslands of the Indo-Gangetic plain and the lowlands bordering the southern Himalaya, from Pakistan to southern Nepal, Assam, and Sundarbans to central India. In the early 20" century it was exterminated in the Sundarbans and during the 1930s-1960s suffered a dramatic reduction of its range due to conversion of vast areas to agriculture. There are now a total of 3500-5100 individuals in small isolated populations in northern and central India and south-western Nepal. It is extinct in Pakistan. The northern subspecies duvaucelii is the most numerous. In Nepalit persists only in two localities, Sukla Phanta Wildlife Reserve (with 1700 animals) and Royal Karnali-Bardiya Wildlife Reserve (with 50-100 individuals). In Assam the population of Kaziranga National Park grew from 200-250 deer in 1966 to 750 in 1984, then declined to 400-500 in 2004. In central India the subspecies branderi which survives only in the Kanha National Park increased from 50-65 animals in 1966 to 300-350 in 2004. Habitat degradation, competition with livestock, and poaching are major current threats outside well-secured protected areas.. Bibliography. Groves (1982), Martin (1977), Moe (1994), Qureshi et al. (2004), Schaller (1967), Wegge et al (2006).

Figures

On followmg pages 30 Barasıngha (Huoervus duvıuoelıı) 31 Chınose Water Deer (Hydroporos ınermısl 32 Western Roe Deer (Capreolus aıpmolus), 33 Eastern Roe Deer (Capraolus pyyaryus)

Subspecies and Distribution. R. d. duvaucelii G. Cuvier, 1823 — N India , S Nepal . R. d. branderi Pocock, 1943 — C India . R. d. ranpitsinhi Groves, 1982 — NE India .