Photo credit: Charles McDougal
The Hog Deer, Axis porcinus, is listed as ‘ENDANGERED’ on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species™. This small deer once occurred across a large part of Southeast Asia, from Pakistan to southern China, but now has a much more restricted distribution, existing only in highly fragmented, relict populations.
The Hog Deer has undergone a dramatic decline in recent decades, and is now considered one of the most threatened large mammals in parts of its range. The main threats have been hunting, habitat loss and habitat degradation, with the species reported to be easier to hunt than other deer in the region, and its wetland habitats having been largely lost to agriculture and urban development.
The Hog Deer is legally protected throughout its range, and receives protection from international trade under its listing on CITES. It also occurs in a number of protected areas, and various conservation efforts are underway for the species, including education and ecotourism programmes. However, many reserves are too small to allow seasonal movements between habitats, and levels of legal enforcement vary.
Geographic Range of the Hog Deer
Credit: IUCN Red List of Threatened Species™
To learn more about the Hog Deer, click here. Or visit the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species™ by clicking their logo below.
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