Classic Moments in the Forest


Indian Peafowl | Blackbuck | Elephant | Spotted Deer | Common Langur
Wild Boar | Indian Gaur | Tiger | Sambar | Sloth Bear | Leopard
Nilgiri Tahr




Photograph by T.A. Jayakumar, A.F.I.A.P.


Chital or Spotted Deer (Bandipur National Park, Karnataka)

» SCIENTIFIC NAME: Axis axis
» KANNADA NAME: Saranga Jinke

Alert and fleet of foot, Chital live at the fringes of forests and seem to be unafraid of entering human habitat.

Sociable creatures, Chital normally live in herds of 10-30, though sightings of herds numbering in the hundreds have been reported. They communicate with each other through a variety of alarm calls, stamping of feet and markings from their scent glands. They are often seen in the company of other forest animals like blackbuck, swamp deer, pigs and monkeys.

Only males have antlers, which are shed and redevelop at regular intervals. To protect their developing antlers, bucks will even fight with their forefeet rather than their antlers, as is normal.

Description: Average size: 36" (90 cm.) high at the shoulder, about 190 lb. (85 kg.) for stags; does are smaller. Bright rufous-fawn coat, profusely spotted with white throughout the year. Old bucks are darker.

Distribution: Widely spread across India: at the base of the Himalayas, Assam and practically throughout the peninsula.

Habits and habitat: Found wherever there are open forests, a good supply of water and grazing.

Natural enemies: Jungle predators like tigers, leopards, wild dogs, crocodiles, and parasites; disease and man.

Food: Herbivores, feeding on grass and foliage till late in the morning and in the afternoon. Rest in shady spots during hotter parts of the day.

Breeding habits: Prolific breeders who reproduce every six months. Mating is at its height in May: a time of fierce aggression amongst males. Gestation period not known. Hinds normally give birth to a single fawn.