The sambar (Cervus unicolor)
The sambar is relatively large deer with heavy, thick antlers that usually have six tines. Sambars have a coarse coat of short rough hair forming a small dense mane. The male sambars’ body length ranges from 170 to 270 cm, and weight, from 150 to 315 kilograms. Sambars are distributed through India, Sri Lanka, eastern Pakistan, Burma, Laos, Cambodia, southern China, Taiwan, Thailand, Vietnam, and Sumatra. Continental subspecies feature very dark, almost black colour of their pelage. Sambars inhabit tropical and subtropical rainforests preferring places with dense thickets of reeds. Although sambars are large animals, it is difficult to see them as they are very secretive and silently escape when frightened up by slightest rustling. The backsides and undersides of their bushy tails are white, and when raised, the tails are used as signals
When caught unawares, the sambar produces a loud alarm whistle and runs away raising its tail so that its white backside and underside are visible, and this is used by the animals as an alarm signal. Sambars are perfect swimmers and like coming into water. These animals feed on grass, leaves and wild fruit. Except for the breeding season, the males are solitary, while females with young stay in small groups. During the breeding season females may be found in harem groups of 3 to 5 individuals; the stags furiously protect their harems entering into competitive sparring with other males. Gestation in a sambar female lasts 250 to 284 days and results in the birth of one fawn (sometimes two baby sambars are born).
