Nara deers

[aramacao]

Does anyone know what subspecies of sika deer can be seen in the wild in Nara?

 

[amur leopard]

Honshu sika deer, C.n.centralis.

 

[Toki]

In adition to the subspecies, they seem to be a distinct and isolated group. https://academic.oup.com/jmammal/article/104/2/303/6987841

 

[Dr. Wolverine]

In adition to the subspecies, they seem to be a distinct and isolated group. https://academic.oup.com/jmammal/article/104/2/303/6987841

Interesting! I was unaware of this study!

 

[Chlidonias]

Does anyone know what subspecies of sika deer can be seen in the wild in Nara?

Sika subspecies are a mess, especially in Japan. The northern Honshu centralis is a junior synonym of aplodontus, although it is widely used regardless.

Where the distribution divide between aplodontus (centralis) and nippon lies on Honshu is also vague, with some authors even restricting nippon to just Kyushu and Shikoku. Some would have the divide as being aplodontus (centralis) to the north/east of Lake Biwa and nippon to the south/west of Lake Biwa, in which case the Nara deer would be nippon. Others would have aplodontus (centralis) reaching a bit further west to the Hyogo prefecture, in which case the Nara deer would be that subspecies.