Sika Deer - The British Deer Society (2024)

FAQs

What is the sika deer myth? ›

Takagi comments, “Legend has it that the sika deer in Nara Park had long been strictly protected as messengers of the gods. Today, these deer are one of the most popular tourist attractions in Japan. However, there has been little genetic research on the origin of these deer.

The sika deer, Cervus nippon, are considered sacred in Shintoism. Their spiritual status dates back nearly 1,400 years, to when Kasuga Taisha Shrine was built in what would later become Nara Park.

In a new study, Dutch scientists analyzed 90 mammal species for pet “suitability” and came up with five animals for which PetSmart probably hasn't yet stocked supplies. Those animals, starting with the best suitable, are: Sika deer, Agile wallaby, Tamar Wallaby, llama and Asian palm civet.

Sika deer are native to eastern Asia but were introduced to deer parks in the UK in 1860. They are now found in scattered populations across the UK, with the greatest numbers in Scotland.

Ecological Threat. Sika deer are aggressive foragers that are known to cause significant damage to vegetation in natural and commercial areas. Farmers often suffer losses of crops and surrounding woodland areas.

Archaeological finds reveal that 5,000 years ago, ancient Chinese in Shanghai regarded the sika deer as the symbol of power, wealth and dignity.

Sika deer originate mostly from Japan, Taiwan, and East Asia. In the United States, sika deer have been introduced in various locations, including Texas, Virginia, and Maryland's Eastern Shore. They were introduced to Maryland in the early 1900s when Clement Henry released 5 or 6 deer on James Island.

Both male and female sika deer use vocalizations to communicate. The "bark" they emit when alarmed is most distinct. Hinds often communicate with their calves using soft bleats and whistles. By mastering some sika vocalizations, hunters can increase their chances of bagging a stag during the rut.

On average, sika deer live 15 to 18 years in the wild. However, some have been known to live up to 25 years in captivity.

Is sika deer tasty? ›

They are, frankly, the best eating venison we've ever had- whitetail venison just doesn't hold a candle to a sika deer. The meat is just a little darker red, with an incredible woodsy flavor that is almost porcini-like in aroma.

Its name comes from shika (鹿), the Japanese word for "deer". In Japan, the species is known as the nihonjika (ニホンジカ (日本鹿), "Japan deer"). In Chinese, it is known as 梅花鹿; méihuā​lù; 'plum blossom deer' due to the spots resembling plum blossoms.

Chronic wasting disease (CWD) is a prion disease that affects deer, elk, reindeer, sika deer, and moose in some areas of North America, including Canada and the United States, Norway and South Korea.

Sika are Difficult to Pattern

While a whitetail might show up to the corn pile with relative certainty, a sika isn't going to make the 5 p.m. reservation every day. A silver lining is that they can be called in. “They're extremely curious animals,” Phillips says.

Sika deer originated in East Asia, but now the only country within its historic range where you can legally hunt it is Russia. For a true wild sika deer hunt, visit Primorski Krai on the Pacific Coast; in other areas of the country the offers for sika hunting imply introduced animals on game farms.

The Killing of a Sacred Deer harkens back to Iphigenia in Aulis, where King Agamemnon accidentally kills a beloved deer in the sacred grove of Artemis. The offended goddess commands Agamemnon to then sacrifice his own daughter, Iphigenia, in order for his plans to bear fruit.

In Native American mythology there is the Chickasaw legend, Ghost of the White Deer. There is also a Lenape legend about white deer that predicts that when a pair of all-white deer is seen together, it is a sign that the indigenous peoples of the Dawnland will all come together and lead the world with their wisdom.

Irish mythology tells of Finn mac Cumhail. Finn was the leader of Ireland's heroic band of warriors known as the Fianna. He cornered a beautiful deer, which his hounds then refused to dispatch. They took her back to Finn's land and she regained her true form as the beautiful Sadhbh.

In Norse mythology, four stags or harts (male red deer) eat among the branches of the world tree Yggdrasill. According to the Poetic Edda, the stags crane their necks upward to chomp at the branches. The morning dew gathers in their horns and forms the rivers of the world.