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Concept
Philippine deer
Summary
The Philippine deer (Rusa marianna), also known as the Philippine sambar or Philippine brown deer, is a vulnerable deer species endemic to the Philippines. It was first described from introduced populations in the Mariana Islands, hence the specific name.
Cervus mariannus was the scientific name proposed by Anselme Gaëtan Desmarest in 1822. It was subordinated to the genus Rusa. Four subspecies are currently recognized:
R. m. marianna in Luzon biogeographic region
R. m. barandana in Mindoro
R. m. nigella in isolated upland areas of Mindanao
R. m. nigricans in lowland sites of Mindanao
The Philippine brown deer is relatively smaller than its relative, the sambar deer. Its head-and-body length and shoulder height measures , and , respectively. Its weight usually ranges from 40 to 60 kg. Generally, its color is brown with white tail underside. Antlers are common among males which measures 20 to 40 cm. Variations in morphology were observed especially in Mindanao populations, but is still unknown at present.
The Philippine deer is endemic to the Philippines, where it occurs in the islands of Luzon, Polillo and Catanduanes, Mindoro, Samar, Mindanao and Leyte. It is possibly extinct in Biliran, Bohol and Marinduque. It has also been declared extinct in Dinagat and Siargao Islands. Across the country, its population is severely fragmented and reduced.
The Philippine brown deer generally thrives in a terrestrial environment from sea level up to at least . It prefers to forage in grasslands under primary and secondary forests. However, due to forest denudation and excessive hunting, they are driven uphill to hide in the remaining patches of forests.
It was introduced to Guam by Mariano Tobias sometime around 1771 to 1772 to be used in recreational hunting. The deer subsequently populated other neighboring locales in Micronesia, including the islands of Rota, Saipan and Pohnpei. However, in the absence of a natural predator, its population is rapidly expanding in Guam, posing serious threats to the native ecosystem and agricultural lands due to overgrazing.
Official source
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