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Image by Federico Respini

Hog Deer

Hog Deer buck and doe

  • Common Name: Hog Deer

  • Family Name: Cervidae

  • Status: Introduced, Not Protected​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

  • Scientific Name: Axis Porcinus

  • Shoulder Height: 70cm

  • Weight: 55kg

  • Lifespan: 15 years

  • Gestation: 220 days

  • Young: 1 to 2 per year

  • Weaned: (pre-rut) 3 to 4 months, (post-rut) 7 - 8 months​

  • Background: Hog deer originate from India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka​.

  • Breeding: Hog deer reproduce irregularly, however calves are most frequently seen between August and October. Male antlers may be cast around this same time.

  • Impacts: Agricultural production by eating pasture, crops and forestry saplings and damaging fences and infrastructure. Autumn marks the ‘rut’ or breeding season for feral deer, bringing increased risks to people, livestock, and the environment. During this time, male deer (bucks) become highly aggressive as they search for mates. They clash with rivals, damage trees, churn up paddocks, and wallow in waterways, causing serious environmental degradation. They can also potentially carry foot-and-mouth disease and parasites that can be transmitted to livestock and can also pose a risk to human health through zoonotic diseases like leptospirosis.

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