indian hog deer

The Hog Deer (Axis porcinus), sometimes called Indian hog deer or Indochinese hog deer, is a compact, stocky deer species adapted for moving through dense undergrowth. Its name comes from its characteristic mode of locomotion—running with its head lowered to duck under obstacles rather than leaping. Males stand about 70 cm at the shoulder and weigh ~50 kg, while females are smaller at ~61 cm and 30 kg. The coat shifts seasonally: dark brown in winter with lighter underparts, and converting to a richer reddish-brown with faint spotting along the flanks in summer. Males grow typically three-tined antlers (brow tine + forked top), shed yearly. Hog deer are crepuscular—active in morning and late afternoon—and may extend nocturnal activity in hotter or threatened zones. Their home ranges are modest (often < 1 km²), with daily movement rarely exceeding ~400 m. Reproduction is seasonal; gestation lasts ~220–230 days, generally yielding one fawn, which weighs ~2.0–2.7 kg at birth. Fawns hide during early weeks, later accompany mothers by 4–5 weeks, and become independent by one year.