Deer - Deer

Japanese: シカ(鹿) - シカ

A general term for mammals of the Cervidae family in the even-toed ungulate order. Males have antlers with bony branches. The antlers fall off every spring, and soon afterwards a velvet covered in soft skin appears. In early autumn, the skin falls off to reveal the hard antlers. They are herbivorous and have a ruminant stomach. They are found in Europe, sub-Saharan Africa, Asia, and North and South America. They generally live in colonies and are of a mild temperament. Their hide is soft and durable, their meat is delicious, and their antlers are excellent for crafts, making them excellent hunting animals. There are many species, including red deer, muntjac, white-tailed deer, tawny elk, moose, and reindeer, and there are 41 known species in 13 genera. Sika deer are about 58 to 99 cm tall at the shoulder. Their summer fur is brown with white spots, but in winter the male fur is dark brown and the female's is gray-brown with no spots. Distributed from Honshu to Yakushima, the Kerama Islands, northeastern China, Taiwan, etc. They live in mountain forests, and males call out loudly in the fall to call for females. They then clash with other males, and the winner forms a harem with many females. Females give birth to one baby in the spring or early summer.

Source : Heibonsha Encyclopedia About MyPedia Information

Japanese:

偶蹄(ぐうてい)目シカ科の哺乳(ほにゅう)類の総称。雄は骨質の枝のある角（枝角）をもつ。角は毎年春に落ち，すぐ柔らかい皮で包まれた袋角を生じ，秋の初め皮がはげ落ちて堅い角が現れる。草食性で反芻(はんすう)胃をもつ。ヨーロッパ，サハラ以北のアフリカ，アジア，南北アメリカに分布。一般に群生し，性質は温和。皮革は柔らかく丈夫で，肉は美味，角は工芸用材とするなど狩猟獣としてすぐれる。アカシカ，キョン，オジロジカ，キバノロ，ヘラジカ，トナカイなど種類が多く，13属41種が知られる。ニホンジカは肩高58〜99cmほど。夏毛は茶褐色で白斑をもつが，冬毛はオスは濃い茶色，メスは灰褐色，無斑となる。本州〜屋久島，慶良間諸島，中国東北部，台湾などに分布。山林にすみ，雄は秋に盛んに鳴いて雌を呼び，他の雄と角を突き合わせてたたかい，勝ったものは多数の雌を従えハレムを作る。雌は春〜初夏に１子を生む。

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