The Fourth Deer Species seen at Ruston House
Video: 9 December 2019
Text: 8 February 2022
As I write I'm not convinced that this is the earliest video of a Chinese Water Deer that our wildlife camera captured, but it is the first I have added to the site.
This time the camera was installed on the Poor's Allotment facing directly across the dyke to Ruston House land. At this time of year when the grass has died back the boardwalk, which we had built on our side of the dyke, can be clearly seen between the stems of the reed on the bank on the Poor's Allotment side of the dyke.
Chinese Water Deer are famous for the males having large fangs protrude from their jaws rather than growing antlers. Our camera is yet to capture an example so, for the time being we assume this is a female.