Distribution and status of white-lipped deer (Cervus albirostris) in the Qinghai-Xizang (Tibet) Plateau, China

Eight mixed herds, ranging in size from 5-46 animals each, were observed. The deer lived from the rhododendron scrub just above the spruce forests to alpine grasslands, at altitudes of 4000-5000 m. The peak of the rut occurred in October, when breeding herds were composed of a few large stags and hinds. The pasturing of domestic animals in the area influences not only the spatial distribution of the deer, but also the timing of seasonal shifts. The main distribution of the deer is in W Sichuan Province and some scattered populations in Quinghai Province are endangered. -from Authors