The Sichuan deer (''Cervus canadensis macneilli''), also known as MacNeill's deer, is a subspecies of the

Elk The elk (: ''elk'' or ''elks''; ''Cervus canadensis'') or wapiti, is the second largest species within the deer family, Cervidae, and one of the largest terrestrial mammals in its native range of North America and Central and East Asia. ...

native to Western China.

Description

This large, highland deer is of very pale, finely spotted color with gray or brownish black. The winter coat is of a brownish wash. These deer, along with the

Tibetan red deer The Tibetan red deer (''Cervus canadensis wallichi'') also known as ''shou'', is a subspecies of elk/wapiti native to the southern Tibetan highlands and Bhutan. Once believed to be near-extinct, its population has increased to over 8,300, the ma ...

, are the largest subspecies of

Central Asia Central Asia is a region of Asia consisting of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan. The countries as a group are also colloquially referred to as the "-stans" as all have names ending with the Persian language, Pers ...

n red deer. Older adult males may carry six tines on each antler similar to

wapiti The elk (: ''elk'' or ''elks''; ''Cervus canadensis'') or wapiti, is the second largest species within the deer family, Cervidae, and one of the largest terrestrial mammals in its native range of North America and Central and East Asia. T ...

subspecies. Also, unlike other Central Asian red deer subspecies, females do have short neck manes during the winter.

Range/discovery

This rare deer was first described in 1909 from a female specimen. 26 years later, male specimens were found and its true status became known. It lives along the Chinese-Tibetan border.

References

Cervus {{Eventoedungulate-stub