Our newest addition to the ranch, Pere Davids are an extremely unique and somewhat primitive deer originating from the swamps of the Yangze delta of China. They are a large deer with males weighing roughly 400 lbs, and females about 250 lbs. The coat is a uniform grey in the winter, and a rich ochre in summer. Their Chinese name "sze pu shiang", which means basically 'none of the four" refers to the appearance of the deer as having the neck of a camel, tail of a donkey, hoofs of a cow, and antlers of a deer. The most distinguishing characteristics of this deer are the long, donkey-like tail, and long snout. The horns of the male are also unique among the deer world, having a single, heavy forked branch extending forward, a long backscratcher extending from near the base of the antlers, and on old males, a series of small rear-pointing tines off the main beams. 

Pere Davids deer are extremely fond of water, and will usually be found close to or  playing in the creek and ponds of Kent Creek Ranch. Their rut occurs during the summer months, with antlers being shed by October, returning to hard horn in March-April. 

An interesting fact: Pere Davids are technically extinct in the wild, and have been for over 100 years. They were discovered by the French missionary and naturalist Pere (French for "Father") Armand David after bribing palace guards to allow him to look into the Imperial Hunting Park in Bejing, at which time, hosted the only remaining herd. After initially discovering the deer, Armand David finally negotiated a gift of several Pere David's deer to France. Following that, Britain and Germany also received several specimens, totaling 18 Pere David's in the whole of Europe. In the meantime, the Boxer Rebellion occurred in China, resulting in the destruction of the imperial hunting grounds, and the last of the Pere David's deer in their native China. During the period of the world wars, all living specimens were consolidated to Wobury Abbey, a famous deer park in Great Britain, and have since reproduced to form the Nucleus of all Pere David's today. Currently, Pere David's deer, while still rare, are doing well, and can be found in Great Britain, Argentina, and the US. They have also been introduced to a small preserve in China, and plans are currently underway to release them back to their native habitat on the Yangze.