TextbyZiRanPhotographsbySunHuajinunlessotherwisecredited
OnMarch3,2016,WorldWildlifeDay,16PereDavid鈥檚deerwereshippedfromDafengPereDavid鈥檚DeerNationalReserveinJiangsuProvincetoDongtingLakeinHunanProvince,andsetfreeintheboundlessreedswamp,wheretheydisappearedinthewilderness.
ThecampaignwasjointlysponsoredbytheStateForestryAdministrationandHunanProvincialPeople鈥檚GovernmentandcarriedoutbytheForestryDepartmentofHunanProvince,ChinaGreenFoundation(CGF),andWorldWideFundforNature(WWF),kickingofftheWildlifeFootprint,a100-speciessatellitetrackingprogramlaunchedbytheCGFandWWF.
OnlyfoundinChina,thePereDavid鈥檚deerhasahorse鈥檚face,adeer鈥檚horns,adonkey鈥檚tail,andacow鈥檚hooves.Inremoteantiquity,itwasconsideredanauspiciousanimal,attractivetohunters,andaworshiptotemandofferinginsacrificialceremonies.Itisconsideredaniconofboomingvitalitybecauseitsantlersfalloffandgrowagainannually.
FossilrecordsshowthatPereDavid'sdeeremergedover2millionyearsagoandreacheditsheydaysome10,000to3,000yearsago.Archaeologistsfoundthatduringthisperiodoftime,thequantityoftheirbonesunearthedrivalsthatofdomesticpigs.ThespeciesdeclinedsuddenlyaftertheShangandZhoudynastiessome3,000yearsbackandteeteredonextinctionduringtheearlyQingDynasty(1644-1911).NoneincaptivitysurvivedtheEight-PowerAlliedForces鈥檌nvasionofBeijingin1900.