Mammal ecologist and author, Adele Brand, reveals the secret world of this enigmatic - and sometimes problematic - member of the deer family
What is a muntjac?
Often likened to the size of a small dog, muntjac deer are around 50cm (19in) tall at shoulder height.
Given their compact, robust size, they're perfectly design to slip through the landscape: deer that are small enough to squeeze through fences, economical enough to survive in slivers of woodland and verge. It is likely that they are nearby more often than any of us know.
Muntjacs are primarily solitary and inhabit dense forests, where they forage for vegetation and occasionally small animals. They are considered an invasive species in some regions due to their ability to adapt to various habitats, their significant apetite and ability to reproduce rapidly.
Where are muntjac deer from?
This tiny, hunch-backed deer has the physique to slip through the dense leafy mesh of subtropical forests of its Asian homeland, and shows its skill in the British landscape too, leaving footprints barely the size of two human thumbnails in its wake.
Also known as Reeves’ muntjac, which refers to John Russell Reeves (1774–1856), an employee of the East India Company who sent specimens back to England when he lived in China.
When were muntjac deer introduced to the UK?
Initially brought over to estates for ornamental purposes, muntjac were released into Woburn Park in 1901, which has had significant repercussions on woodland habitats in the south of England, where they thrive.
Where do muntjac live?
Here in the UK they can be found in woodland areas, parks, and gardens.
How to identify a muntjac deer
They are known for their small size, stocky build, and distinctive appearance, including short antlers and a ginger-brown coat with a pale underside.
Keep an eye out at dawn and dusk when they're most active and, of course, listen out for their distinctive call.
What noise does a muntjac deer make?
Short, hoarse, like a fox with a sore throat, a muntjac's bark can indicate alarm as well as courtship. In fact, they are sometimes called the 'barking deer' for obvious reasons.
Why do muntjac deer bark?
Many people who hear a muntjac will puzzle over the cry. Such a tiny deer has much to fear in its native habitat – it must evade foxes in Britain, which readily predate the fawns. Sadly, it is also very vulnerable to out of control dogs.
In Chinese forests it is hunted by the exquisitely beautiful Temminck’s golden cat.
Do muntjac have antlers?
Yes, muntjac deer do have antlers, but only on males.
Summer is the season of antler loss, and after the first falls, the second may take up to a fortnight to follow. Muntjac antlers are nothing like the branching crown of a fallow or red deer; simple oblongs, they lean back from the male’s narrow skull as if to emphasise its graceful curve.
Do muntjac have fangs?
No, muntjac deer don't have fangs. Males have elongated canine teeth, which are used for display during mating rituals and fighting with other males, rather than for predatory purposes. In females and juveniles, these teeth are much shorter and less prominent.
Why do muntjac deer have scent glands on their face?
Primarily for communication. Less sociable than other species of deer, muntjac use these glands to emit scents that convey information about their age, sex, reproductive status, and territory.
By rubbing the elongated V-shaped slits on their foreheads (known as frontal glands) against trees, shrubs, or other objects, muntjacs leave behind scent marks that can be detected by other deer. This helps them establish and maintain territories, attract mates, and communicate with other members of their species.
They also possess two prominent glands situated just in front of their eyes, known as pre-orbital glands.
What do muntjac deer eat?
Bluebells, wild primroses and honeysuckle are all on the muntjac’s menu, risking knock-on damage to other wildlife such as dormice and white admiral butterflies.
Muntjac also enjoy browsing coppice stools, greatly complicating traditional woodland management.
At high densities, they can even reduce the food resources available for the native roe deer and locally suppress its numbers.
When do muntjac have young?
For the does, summer is just another season of pregnancy and fawns. She is nearly always pregnant; giving birth after a seven month gestation, she barks to alert potential mates that she will soon be available again. The fawn herself can breed when just half a year old.
Find out more
Check out our expert guides to British deer species and roe deer, as well as best places to see a deer rut in autumn.
