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Four sika deer standing amongst the pink flowers of heather, with blue sky above them

Sika deer © Ross Hoddinott/2020VISION

A sika deer stag, with white spots on its rich red-brown fur, stands amongst the pink flowers of heather, with silver birches in the background

Sika deer stag © Ross Hoddinott/2020VISION

Sika deer

Scientific name: Cervus nippon
Sika deer were introduced to the UK in the 19th century. They are native to eastern Asia.

Species information

Statistics

Height: up to 0.95 metres at the shoulder
Weight: up to 70 kg

When to see

All year

About

Sika deer are native to eastern Asia. They were brought to the UK to populate deer parks in the 19th century. Some escaped or were released and became established in the wild. They are usually found in conifer woods and on heaths on acid soils, but can live in a wide variety of habitats.

Their breeding season, known as the rut, is between September and November. Males (stags) usually defend a rutting territory, but will switch to defending a group of females (hinds) once they have gathered. Sika deer have a wide range of calls, including whistles and wails.

Sika deer can hybridise with red deer and the hybrids can be difficult to identify. In some areas, hybridisation is so common that it raises concerns for the populations of red deer.

How to identify

A medium-sized deer. In summer they have rich, chestnut-red fur with rows of whitish spots. In winter, they become a darker grey or brown and the spots are usually faint or absent. They have a white rump with a black border at the top. Males develop branched antlers, similar to a red deer, but they usually only have 6-8 points.

Distribution

The strongest populations are in Scotland, where they are widespread. There are also scattered populations in England (particularly Cumbria, Lancashire, Dorset and the New Forest) and Northern Ireland. They have also been spotted in Wales, including a small population of red/sika hybrids.

Habitats

Did you know?

The wild sika deer in the UK are all thought to belong to the Japanese subspecies, which is smaller than the Manchurian subspecies that can sometimes be found in deer parks.