#0130 · 🦊 mammals

Water Deer

🇳🇱 Waterree ·Hydropotes inermis

VUvulnerable 🦊 Mammals 📍 in Europe, not in NL

9 photos from iNaturalist (Creative Commons) · credits & licences

what is it?

The water deer ( Hydropotes inermis ) is a small deer superficially more similar to a musk deer than a true deer. Native to China and Korea, there are two subspecies: the Chinese water deer ( Hydropotes inermis inermis ) and the Korean water deer ( Hydropotes inermis argyropus ). Despite its lack of antlers and certain other anatomical anomalies—including a pair of prominent tusks (downward-pointing canine teeth), it is classified as a cervid. Its unique anatomical characteristics have caused it to...

base stats

NL sightings 0iNaturalist, research grade
worldwide 2,180iNaturalist observations
threat VUvulnerable

Bars compare against all animals on log scales: up to 300,000 Dutch and 600,000 worldwide sightings (the most-seen species), 150 t (blue whale), 30 m and 400 years (Greenland shark).

fun facts

No confirmed wild sightings in the Netherlands on iNaturalist: you'd have to travel for this one.
2,180 observations worldwide on iNaturalist.
Scientifically named by Robert Swinhoe in 1870 (156 years ago).
Listed as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List.