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  Rusa ( Cervus timorensis )



Rusa | Cervus timorensis photo
Rusa Deer - photograph from Wikipedia

Photograph by Ark. Some rights reserved.

RUSA FACTS

distribution map showing range of Cervus timorensis in Australia

Description
Rusa are a medium sized deer. The coarse coat is dark grey-brown in winter and reddish brown after summer moult. The underside is cream or pale grey. Some males have a white throat patch. The tail is fairly long and pointed with dark tip. Males have three-tined antlers that are shed in summer and regrow each winter. Stags develop a mane during winter. New calves have a rich tan coat with no spots.

Size
Length: 1.5m - 1.8m. Tail length: 18cm - 25cm. Weight 50g - 120kg

Environment
grassy plains bordered by dense brush or woodlands for shelter

Food
grass, herbaceous plants

Breeding
Females give birth to a single calf after a gestation period of about 8-9 months.

Range
Rusa deer are native to South-East Asia. In Australia they are found in the Royal National Park outside Sydney and on the islands of Torres Strait.



Classification
Class:Mammalia
Order:Artiodactyla
Family:Cervidae
Genus:Cervus
Species:timorensis
Common Name:Rusa