Capreolus pygargus (Pallas, 1771)

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 : 428

33.

Eastern Roe Deer

Capreolus pygargus

French: Chevreuil de Sibérie / German: Sibirisches Reh / Spanish: Corzo siberiano

Other common names: Siberian Roe Deer

Taxonomy. Cervus pygargus Pallas, 1771 ,

river Sok, Trans-Volga region ( Russia).

Here two subspecies are recognized.

Subspecies and Distribution.

C.p.pygargusPallas,1771—fromEuropeanRussiatoCSiberiaandYakutia.

C. p. tianschanicus Satunin, 1906 — from Kazakhstan to SE Siberia, C & NE China, and the Korean Peninsula.

Descriptive notes. Head body 125-145 cm, tail 2-4 cm, shoulder height 82-94 cm; weight 35-50 kg for males (adult bucks) and 32-47 kg for females (adult does). The heaviest animals are found in the Urals, Altai Mountains, and Yakutia (bucks up to 60-65 kg); the smallest possibly in China. It is a relatively large roe deer, with mostly uniform coat coloration. Facial markings are generally absent and the metatarsal glands are the same color as the legs. The antlers, which average 28-33 cm long on average in adult bucks, are well spread apart at the tips, but the pedicles are farther apart than in the Western Roe Deer ( C. capreolus ). The winter coat is gray or, in southern populations, graysh-brown, with a white rump patch. The summer coatis reddish. The molts occur in spring and autumn. Newborn fawns are spotted. The karyotype exhibits 1-14 additional Bchromosomes.

Habitat. Eastern Roe Deerlive in forests with clearings and in treeless steppes with tall grass. They are particularly adapted to severe weather, tolerating temperatures from —60°C (Siberia) to more than 40°C (Central Asia). They occur up to 3300 m above sea level on mountain ranges. Snow depth more than 50 cm is a limiting factor.

Food and Feeding. As browsers, roe deer prefer herbaceous dycotyledons and woody species. In winter they feed on twigs, dry herbs, mosses, and lichens.

Breeding. Females attain puberty at about one year of age. Males tend to begin to reproduce by two or three years of age. Rut takes place in August and September. Females are described by Russian scientists as polyestrous, contrary to Western Roe Deer. They exhibit an embryonic diapause, with the implantation occurring in earlyJanuary. Around June, does typically give birth to two fawns weighing 1.8-2. 2 kg. Newborn fawns suckle within 30 minutes after birth and walk within 40 minutes. For the first two days they remain hidden in vegetation and if disturbed they tend to freeze. Fawns begin to experiment eating plants when they are 5-10 days old, but continue to nurse for 4-5 months. Eastern Roe Deer live a maximum of 11-12 years. The main predators are Gray Wolves (Canis lupus) and Eurasian Lynxes (Lynx lynx); in some areas they are also preyed upon by Brown Bears (Ursus arctos) and Siberian Tigers (Panthera tigris). Natural mortality due to climatic factors (frigid temperature, snowy winters) may affect population dynamics.

Activity patterns. Eastern Roe Deer are active all day, alternating bouts of feeding, ruminating, resting, and moving, at least 4-7 times in 24 hours. Animals are particularly active at dusk and dawn.

Movements, Home range and Social organization. It is saltatorial and cursorial with low endurance. Annual home ranges can be 1-5 km?®, but in some less productive regions can reach 10-15 km?In the Amur region and Siberian Far East, annual mass migrations of 100-300 km (up to 500 km) occur to avoid deep snow and reach productive habitats. The migrations to winter quarters in September—October can take up to 40 days; the return usually takes place in March-April. Roe deer are solitary or weakly social, forming small matrilinear groups in autumn and winter with an adult doe as a leader. Mass migrations are conducted by family groups aggregated into large herds. Adult bucks are solitary and territorial during late spring and summer.

Status and Conservation. Classified as Least Concern on The IUCN Red List but decreasing. Although it is still widespread,it is declining due to overhunting. Formerly its range extended to Belarus and Ukraine. During the 19" century it was subjected to particularly heavy hunting pressure in Russia, and half a million were killed annually. Illegal hunting for meat and antlers is still frequent in Siberia. Logging and poaching are threatening the populations living in the Korean Peninsula.

Bibliography. Baskin & Danell (2003), Danilkin (1995, 1999), Danilkin & Hewison (1996), Randi et al. (1998), Sokolov & Gromov (1990), Xiao Chaoting et al. (2007).

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. C.p.pygargusPallas,1771—fromEuropeanRussiatoCSiberiaandYakutia. C. p. tianschanicus Satunin, 1906 — from Kazakhstan to SE Siberia, C & NE China , and the Korean Peninsula.