#Panolia eldii

[crepuscularray]

Deercember Day Ten: Burmese Eld's Deer | Guardian

The Burmese Eld's deer (Panolia eldii thamin, or Rucervus eldii thamin), also known as the thamin or Burmese brow-antlered deer, is an endangered subspecies of deer endemic to Myanmar and westernmost Thailand. Subject to indiscriminate hunting in the past—until the ownership of guns was controlled after the 1960s—the thamin now has a population of about 1,000. Initially, the Smithsonian National Zoo acquired a few thamin for observations and subsequently shifted a few to its Conservation and Research Center at Front Royal, Virginia for biological study. For a cross–check of the biological studies done at the research center, the Smithsonian Institution selected the Chatthin Wildlife Sanctuary, a protected park. Special studies on the thamin deer were conducted by the conservation scientists headed by Christen Wemmer of the Smithsonian. They gathered details on the biology and survival of the species by duly correlating with the changes that occurred in the ecology of the region of the Chatthin Wildlife Sanctuary. Under the research project study, the ecology of thamin and a series of training courses in biodiversity were organised. In 1850, John Edward Gray proposed the name Panolia eldii for the species. Despite now being classified under Rucervus in most modern taxonomic systems, it has recently been proposed that it should be moved back to the genus Panolia on the basis of recent genetic findings that place it closer to Père David's deer than to other members of the genus Rucervus. More information about all Eld's subspecies here.

Reference: Deer and Background.

[inatungulates]

Burmese brow-antlered deer Panolia eldii thamin

Observed by alliya

[astronomy-to-zoology]

Eld's Deer (Panolia eldii)

also known as the Thamin of Brow-antlered Deer, Eld's deer is a species of deer endemic to Southeast Asia. The most notable feature of this deer is its antlers which are shaped like a bow and grow outwards rather than upwards. Sadly this unique deer is currently endangered as deformation and habitat degradation have reduced its numbers. But luckily several countries have set up conservation projects aimed to save the species.

Phylogeny

Animalia-Chordata-Mammlia-Artiodactyla-Cervidae-Cervinae-Panolia-eldii

Image Source(s)

[crepuscularray]

Bonus transparent background version.

[inatungulates]

Burmese brow-antlered deer Panolia eldii thamin

Observed by plains-wanderer, CC-BY

[crepuscularray]

Deercember Day Thirty-One: Sangai | New Beginnings

The sangai (Panolia eldii eldii according to current genetic evidence, though Rucervus eldii eldii according to most scientific literature) is an endemic and endangered subspecies of Eld's deer found only in Manipur, India. It is also the state animal of Manipur. Its common English name is Manipur brow-antlered deer or Manipur Eld's deer, though it is also known as the dancing deer due to a particular behaviour: it is believed that the name sangai (sa "animal" and ngai "in awaiting") was coined from its peculiar posture and behaviour while running; by nature, the deer—particularly the males, even when running for its life—stops occasionally and looks back as if waiting for someone.

Its original natural habitat is the floating marshy grasslands of the Keibul Lamjao National Park, located in the southern parts of Loktak Lake, which is the largest freshwater lake in South Asia. The park covers an area of 40 km² (15.44 mi²) and the home range of the deer in the park is confined to 15 – 20 km² (5.79 - 7.72 mi²). Phumdi is the most important and unique part of the habitat; it is the floating mass of vegetation formed by the accumulation of organic debris and biomass with soil, with thickness varying from few centimeters to two meters. The humus of phumdi is black in colour and very porous and spongy. It floats with 80% of its mass submerged in an annual cycle of rising and falling on Loktak Lake, though this has been disrupted by a hydroelectric dam resulting in the deterioration of the phumdi.

The sangai was believed to be almost extinct by 1950. However, in 1953, six heads of the sangai were found in its natural habitat. Since then, the Manipur state government has taken serious and positive measures toward its protection. The number of sangai listed in the Red Data Book was only 14 in 1975. Despite this, its number has since increased to 204 in 2013, and to 260 in March of 2016. The genetic bottle-necking of this near-extinction event may yet have catastrophic effects on the subspecies, with concerning evidence being found in instances such as albinism despite the small population size.

Culturally, the sangai finds itself embedded deep into the legends and folklore of the Manipuri people. Based on a popular folk legend, the sangai is interpreted as the binding soul between humans and nature. The slaying of the sangai, an unpardonable sin, is conceived as the forceful separation of the harmonious relationship between humans and nature. When humans love and respect the sangai, it is respecting nature. In the sangai, therefore, humans find a way of expressing their love for nature. More information here.

References: Deer*, Background.

* If you recognize the source for the sangai photograph, please let me know. I have several saved, this one from October of 2021, and can no longer find a source.