The Sichuan sika deer (''Cervus nippon sichuanicus'') is one of the many
subspecies
In biological classification, subspecies is a rank below species, used for populations that live in different areas and vary in size, shape, or other physical characteristics (morphology), but that can successfully interbreed. Not all species ...
of
sika deer. It was discovered in 1978 and was proven to be a distinct subspecies. It is found in the mountains of northern
Sichuan
Sichuan (; zh, c=, labels=no, ; zh, p=Sìchuān; alternatively romanized as Szechuan or Szechwan; formerly also referred to as "West China" or "Western China" by Protestant missions) is a province in Southwest China occupying most of the ...
and southern
Gansu
Gansu (, ; alternately romanized as Kansu) is a province in Northwest China. Its capital and largest city is Lanzhou, in the southeast part of the province.
The seventh-largest administrative district by area at , Gansu lies between the Tibet ...
, which holds the largest population of Sika Deer in China. There are currently 500 individuals left in the wild, and the numbers currently seems to be stable.
Cervus
Mammals of Asia
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