Muntjac

More Information About Muntjac

Bandhavgarh National Park is proud to be the home to numerous Muntjac. The Muntjac, also known as the Mastreani deer or barking deer, is the oldest known species of deer in the world! According to scientists, Muntajac first appeared 15-35 million years ago in Germany, France, and Poland.

Thanks to the 1925 Woburn Abbey Escape, Muntjac have now begun to inhabit parts of England successfully as well. What started out as an English catastrophe had a happy ending after all.

The soft, short, brownish grey coloring of the Muntjac serves as a kind of camouflage in the wild. Upon sensing a predator, Muntjac deer will emit a “barking sound” to communicate to the predator that it’s been spotted, and to move on to an easier target. This barking is referred to as “Kakar”.

Barking deers are hunted primarily for their meat and skin. They provide a much needed food source and way of life for hunters.

Scientific Name of Barking Deer: Muntiacini

Muntjac Habitat

Native to South and Southeast Asia, some areas of Japan, and parts of England.

Muntjac Size And Weight

Bucks generally measure between 44-52 cm at the shoulder, and Does generally measure between 43-52 cm at the shoulder. In terms of weight, Bucks weigh between 10-18 kg on average, and Does between 9-16 kg.

Muntjac Lifespan

In the wild, the average barking deer lives between 10-12 years, generally speaking. However, in captivity, they’re capable of a much longer lifespan of around 17 years, on average.

Types Of Muntjac

There are a total of 15 different subspecies of barking deer. Each subspecies has characteristics that set them apart from other species. Such as larger antlers, differences in body weight and dimensions, etc.

Did you know? Barking deers have a keen sense of both hearing and eyesight. They use it to detect predators in the wild. And like most deer, barking deer are omnivores. They feed on shoots, flowers, berries, fungi, and tree bark. They’re also solitary animals that use their scent glands to mark their territory. Territories of barking deer usually measure around 100 hectares in size.

Barking deers will mate throughout the year, but their favorite breeding time is between January and March. Male territories often border female territories, and during mating season, the males meet with the neighboring females more freely.

Barking Deer Conservation Status

The Muntjac is listed as an animal Of Least Concern (LC) according to the IUCN Red List. This means that the Muntjac are successfully breeding and sustaining their own population, and doing so without the need for conservation specialists to get involved.

The Bandhavgarh National Park is proud to display barking deer because many habitats around the world are home to them. Without the barking deer, other animals in the Bandhavgarh National Park would feel out of place and miss them not being there.

Yes, the Muntjac is a very, very common deer in Asia and Japan. You can rest assured our family of Tigers and Leopards at the Park feel much more at ease with them around.