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Axis Deer Axis axis
Axishirsch / Axishjort
Facts: Weight: 75–100 kg
Food: Mostly grass, but occasionally flowers and tree fruit
Habitat: Grassy plains and open woodland in India
Sexual maturity: 1½ years
Gestation period: 8 months
Number of offspring per litter: 1
Life expectancy: 20 years
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Axis deer live in herds of 5–10, though sometimes herds of 100–200 will congregate. The herd members can vary greatly. Sometimes a herd consists of both sexes of all ages, while other times a herd consists of males only or females with fawns. The individual deer move among the various herds in a given area.
During mating season, some of the bucks call for the does, and a buck will defend the rutting females from other bucks. When several bucks meet they will fight, and the biggest buck with the largest antlers will mate with greatest number of females.
The axis deer’s fur is white-spotted. As the spots do not provide camouflage on open plains, where axis deer graze in the wild, the spots are thought to be a signal to other members of the same species. It is believed that the spots may help to suppress aggression.
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