Barasingha. I'd be pleased if someone could chip in with some comments about Whipsnade's Sika, which haven't been identified to subspecies level by ZSL for quite some time.
Some fifteen years ago they were talking about acquiring Vietnamese Sika, but nothing came of it.
Barasingha- I think this is a first year- hence the short body and short 'triangular' face.
I have no information on what subspecies Whipsnade's Sika are regarded as nowadays, but they used to be labelled as 'Formosan' and I presume the current ones are descendants of that same herd. They are larger, brighter coloured and heavier bodied than the Japanese form, while the stags had/have orangy-pink antler velvet rather than dark as in Japanese. But I believe there is/was debate as to whether 'Formosan' is a true subspecies or a hybrid form, possibly from past crossing between other Sika and Red Deer?
Whipsnade also used to have, a long while ago now, a seperate small herd of Black-coloured Sika, labelled C. keramae but I think they sadly disappeared a long time ago. I have never seen these Black sika anywhere else.
