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Cervid Resources in Subtropical and Tropical Areas of China

1985; East China Normal University Press; Linguagem: Inglês

1000-5641

Huo Sheng,

Ecology and biodiversity studies

Valuable resources of seventeen species of cervids that inhabit the subtropical and tropical areas of China are described in this paper, based on available data within thirty years which comprise 85% of all cervid species in China. It is shown in recent estimate of annual game production that there are about 100,000 musk deer (Moschus spp) and tufted deer (Elaphodus cephalophus) respectively,140,000~150,000 Indian muntjac (Muntiacus muntjak), 650,000 Chinese muntjac(Muntiacus reevesi) and 10,000 Chinese water deer (Hydropotes inermis).Cervid such as samber (Cervus unicolor) still appears in fair numbers within the study areas.The distribution of Sika deer (Cervus nippon) at present is broken into four relatively isolated low population areas which occur in: boundary of Sichuan and Gansu province; southwest of Guangxi province; south Anhui and adjacent areas of Mt.Tiemu in Zhejiang province and Taitung region of southern Taiwan province.The Eld's deer (Cervus eldi hainanus) and the hog-deer (Cervus porcinus) are known to be endangered. It is noteworthy to mention that the fluctuating production of all these species in this paper is not fully caused by natural factors.The survey of muntjac species,including tufted deer, clearly shows that the production declined over 1958~1962 period and again in 1970~1973 (Fig.1 Table 2).This is because some other factors that reduce game hunting activities.The production of the late seventies was 23% higher than that of the late fifties but was lower that that of the late sixties.However, the two declining period played the role of an important conservation measure of resources which shows a significant recovery and gain in production with economic efficiency.Another factor that caused the resources to increase is that the predation pressure of the large and medium cat predators were severely reduced recently.