Axis Deer

The axis deer of southern Asia are distinguished by their white spotted coats. To date, there are two types of them in Asia- the chital and the hog-deer. The hog-deer lives in India and Indonesia, and has a short-legged body, giving it a slightly piggish appearance (hence it's name). The males often act like mean pigs around mating season too- they will attack ANYTHING and EVERYTHING. It will even hurl itself at trees and shrubbery and also dig into the ground with its antlers like it is on a mad rampage. This is the reason this deer is hard to keep in captivity- be within its reach when it has a "temper tantrum", and you are DEAD!

Hog deer.

Axis deer are not group animals and typically live alone at the edges of forests. On occasion they will make small herds, but it is very rare. It does not shed its horns at any specific time of the year. They are nocturnal creatures, sleeping in the undergrowth during the day and feeding at night. If startled, it will run away. It is known to lower its head and duck under obstacles (like a pig) rather than jumping them like normal deer.

The chital deer is basically a larger version of the hog-deer. It's mating seasons are irregular (like the hog-deer) and it sometimes mates the whole year round. The only significant difference, excusing size, is that a female can bear up to three fawns at a time, while a hog deer can only bear one, and only on rare occasions two fawns.