Père David's Deerシフゾウ

Elaphurus davidianusEW— Extinct in the Wild

Père David's deer is a wetland-adapted deer once native to the river valleys of China that went extinct in the wild by 1939. The entire species survived only through a captive herd established at England's Woburn Abbey, descended from animals sent to Europe before the extinction. Reintroduction to China began in 1985, and by 2020 the wild population had grown to an estimated 2,825 individuals, alongside thousands more in reserves — a rare conservation success story, though the IUCN still lists the species as Extinct in the Wild pending reassessment.

Père David's Deer (reference photo)
Photo: DiverDave / CC BY-SA 3.0 / Source / cropped

Species Data

Classification
Artiodactyla / Cervidae Source
Distribution
Historically native to the subtropical river valleys of China; extinct in the wild but sustained today through reintroduction and captive breeding. Source

Did You Know?

  • Its Chinese name, sibuxiang, means "four not alike," referring to features resembling a deer, a horse, a cow, and a donkey combined. Source
  • Flooding and unrest around 1900 wiped out even the captive herds in China, but the lineage preserved at Woburn Abbey in England was reintroduced to China starting in 1985. Source
  • Well adapted to wetlands, it is a strong swimmer able to submerge up to its shoulders and readily feeds on aquatic vegetation. Source

Where to See This Species

2 facilities · 0 individuals

東京都恩賜上野動物園 (Toukyoutoonshiueno Doubutsuen)TokyoOpened in 1882

東京都恩賜上野動物園のWikipedia記事に飼育種として記載 Source

京都市動物園 (Kyoutoshi Doubutsuen)KyotoOpened in 1903

シフゾウのWikipedia記事に飼育施設として記載 Source

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Conservation Story

Conservation Status

IUCNではEW。飼育下繁殖と再導入が存続を支えている。

Habitat

中国の湿地、河川流域、草地。

Threats

Conservation & Breeding Efforts

Sources

ja.wikipedia.org en.wikipedia.org

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FAQ

Why is Père David's deer called 'four not alike' in Chinese?
Its Chinese name, sibuxiang, reflects features that resemble four different animals: antlers like a deer, a neck like a camel or horse, hooves like a cow, and a tail like a donkey. Source
Is Père David's deer extinct?
It went extinct in the wild by 1939, but a captive herd preserved at Woburn Abbey in England saved the species, and reintroduction to China since 1985 has restored a wild population of over 2,800 animals as of 2020. Source
Is Père David's deer a good swimmer?
Yes. It is well adapted to wetlands, capable of swimming while submerged up to its shoulders and feeding readily on aquatic plants. Source

Source: ja.wikipedia.org en.wikipedia.org