Saber tooth deer found in uk

Deer savages dogs - and no, this is not an April Fool jokeBy Daily Mail Reporter


http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1166367/Fanged-deer-savages-dogs--April-Fool-joke.html

Everybody knows that dogs will attack deer but surely, you might think, stories of a deer savaging dogs must be an April Fool's joke.
Not so, as 12-year-old Georgina Robey and her brother Daniel, 10, found to their horror when walking their Jack Russell in normally tranquil woods in Bedfordshire. Six-year-old Perdita reappeared from among the trees with deep lacerations on her belly, back and neck.

Attack: Perdita suffered deep lacerations on her back, belly and neck The injuries are thought to have been inflicted by the sharp tusks of a male Chinese Water Deer. These small deer are the only species in Britain to lack antlers, so instead the males fight off their territorial rivals using canines that grow up to 3in long.The dogs' assailant is thought to be living in woods in Ampthill Park, Bedfordshire, after escaping from Woburn Park seven miles away. The children's father Loren Robey, 43, warned other dog walkers to beware after the attack on Perdita.

Vicious bite: Chinese water deer males fight with tusks that grow up to 3in long Local vet John Wakely tended to Perdita after the attack
He said: 'My first thought was that she must have got caught in a barbed wire fence but the vet, having seen several dogs with the same injuries in the last few weeks, put it down to Chinese Water Deer which roam the park.

'I'm sure the animal was only protecting itself or its young but it's worth being extra careful at the moment - our pet is lucky to still be alive. The deer has long fangs that caused really nasty wounds.' A vet who has treated a string of injured dogs said today it was the first time in 30 years that he had come across such attacks. John Wakely, of the Ridgeway Veterinary Centre in Flitwick, said he has treated three dogs in the past two weeks and two others before Christmas, while other vets in the area had also reported dogs receiving deep fang-like wounds.
He said: 'In 30 years as a vet I have never seen this before. My personal view is that it could be a Chinese Water Deer that has escaped from Woburn Safari Park. They have long canine teeth that have caused deep slices. They are very nasty wounds.'

Chinese Water Deer were introduced to Woburn Park in the late 19th century after they were imported from their native north-east China. Several are thought to have escaped in recent years. John Wakely added: 'Dog owners should be very careful in the woods in the park.'

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I just post the stories, for interest.. for everyone

Lord, what fools these mortals be!
- A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Act III, Scene ii

Voltaire said: "Those who can make you believe absurdities can make you commit atrocities."

H.L.Mencken wrote:"The whole aim of practical politics is to keep the populace alarmed (and hence clamorous to be led to safety) by menacing it with an endless series of hobgoblins, all of them imaginary.”

Only two things are infinite, the universe and human stupidity, and I'm not sure about the former. Albert Einstein

I still don't believe it... My bullshit detector is in the red.

its actually real


http://www.bds.org.uk/chinese_water_deer.html

Recognition. A small species intermediate between muntjac and roe deer. No antlers but large protruding tusks in bucks, which are generally only visible in adults. The tusks are used as weapons during the rut and in defence against predators. Ears large and rounded giving a "teddy bear" like appearance. Coat a russet-brown in summer pale to grey-brown in the winter. Water deer lack the white caudal patch of roe deer.

Adult size. 11 to 18 kg, 50 to 55cm at shoulder. Little variation between sexes.

Antlers. None.

Life span. Limited data, up to 6 years. Up to 40% of fawns die within the first four weeks of life.

Status. IUCN Red Data Book listed as "lower risk, near threatened" in China. The British population is thought to account for 10% of the world's population.

UK distribution. Currently restricted to Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire and Norfolk with a few scattered sightings elsewhere.

Food & feeding. Selective feeders that take small morsels from nutritious plants, especially herbs but may take woody browse, grasses and sedges if food is limiting.

Habitat. Reed beds, river shores, woodlands and fields. A good diversity of plants in the understorey is important.

Origins & history. The Chinese water deer's tusks indicate that it is a very primitive form of deer. Tusks were developed as weapons by deer before antlers evolved. Chinese water deer were first kept at London Zoo in 1873 but escaped from Whipsnade Zoo after introduction there in 1929. Originally being centred around their site of escape they slowly spread to surrounding areas of suitable habitat.

Introductions into deer parks around the country, and subsequent escapes and releases, have facilitated their spread, although wet habitats in the fens of Cambridgeshire and the Norfolk Broads seem to provide them with the best habitat in which to thrive.

Social organisation. Solitary except when mating, but may form pairs or small groups at high density. Bucks are particularly aggressive and do not tolerate the presence of other bucks.

Vocalisation. Both sexes give a short bark when alarmed or as a warning. While chasing other deer, bucks make a rapid chattering sound called whickering. Whistling and squeaking is emitted by the buck as he follows a doe during courtship. Both sexes scream when chased.

The rut. Bucks and does form pairs and defend territories during November and December and remain together until April. Bucks perform parallel walks with invading rivals, as do other deer species, and only fight if their dominance order is not identified using this method. Unlike antlered species, fighting in Chinese water deer rarely results in fatality but injuries are common.

Breeding. Does give birth during May to July after a six to seven month gestation. Up to 6 fawns may be born, but 1 to 3 fawns is more usual.

Activity. Chinese water deer are active throughout the 24-hour period. The peak time of activity is around dusk. After feeding, long periods are spent "lying up", which is where the deer lies down to ruminate.

Economic factors. Due to their low local densities and restricted national distribution, Chinese water deer are of little national economic significance. Locally they may browse the tops from root crops in winter when other food sources are in short supply, but they do not cause damage to trees. Their low density and restricted range also means that the stalking market for Chinese water deer is very small.

*********************************************************************************************************************************
I just post the stories, for interest.. for everyone

Lord, what fools these mortals be!
- A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Act III, Scene ii

Voltaire said: "Those who can make you believe absurdities can make you commit atrocities."

H.L.Mencken wrote:"The whole aim of practical politics is to keep the populace alarmed (and hence clamorous to be led to safety) by menacing it with an endless series of hobgoblins, all of them imaginary.”

Only two things are infinite, the universe and human stupidity, and I'm not sure about the former. Albert Einstein

I'll be damned... That's pretty cool!

I like them Chinese water-chestnuts.........sure glad THEY don't have deadly fangs!!!

Give me a gun and I'll take care of Bambi.

two cents ¢¢

CERTIFIED HOSEHEAD!!!

people (especially women) do not give ONE DAMN about what they inflict on children and I defy anyone to prove me wrong

Dysfunctional relationships almost always have a child. The more dysfunctional, the more children.

The selfish wants of adults outweigh the needs of the child.

Some mistakes cannot be fixed, but some mistakes can be 'fixed'.

People who say they sleep like a baby usually don't have one. Leo J. Burke

Adoption agencies have strict criteria (usually). Breeders, whose combined IQ's would barely hit triple digits, have none.

they are actually an endangered /vulnerable species.. they just gone wild here

*********************************************************************************************************************************
I just post the stories, for interest.. for everyone

Lord, what fools these mortals be!
- A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Act III, Scene ii

Voltaire said: "Those who can make you believe absurdities can make you commit atrocities."

H.L.Mencken wrote:"The whole aim of practical politics is to keep the populace alarmed (and hence clamorous to be led to safety) by menacing it with an endless series of hobgoblins, all of them imaginary.”

Only two things are infinite, the universe and human stupidity, and I'm not sure about the former. Albert Einstein

I used to have a saber-toothed axolotl named Sandra.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/nolpda/ukfs_news/hi/newsid_3869000/3869815.stm

wild parrots in the uk

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/berkshire/3613780.stm

and wallabies

and wild boar
http://www.britishwildboar.org.uk/main.htm

*********************************************************************************************************************************
I just post the stories, for interest.. for everyone

Lord, what fools these mortals be!
- A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Act III, Scene ii

Voltaire said: "Those who can make you believe absurdities can make you commit atrocities."

H.L.Mencken wrote:"The whole aim of practical politics is to keep the populace alarmed (and hence clamorous to be led to safety) by menacing it with an endless series of hobgoblins, all of them imaginary.”

Only two things are infinite, the universe and human stupidity, and I'm not sure about the former. Albert Einstein

Quote
mercurior
and wild boar
http://www.britishwildboar.org.uk/main.htm

Wild Boar are a problem in my state. Missouri has a "shoot on sight" policy which requires no hunting permit or certification. They're supposed to be extremely smart, severely destructive and hard to kill. They really wreak havoc on the native wildlife. Can you believe they will kill and eat fawns and nesting turkeys and their young? Nasty fuckers.

Ooh, they look like vampire deer.

And they're probably carnivorous, too!

I suspect that some of these animals showing up where they normally wouldn't be is because owners who tire of their "exotic pets" or escapes from zoos--eventually the parents and offspring go feral. But I gotta say a saber-toothed deer is something I would not have thought of as being in Britain, let alone gone feral. I learn something almost every day on this site. Thanks, merc, for posting.

they used to live here hundreds of years ago, some escaped from a farm and they do no harm..

*********************************************************************************************************************************
I just post the stories, for interest.. for everyone

Lord, what fools these mortals be!
- A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Act III, Scene ii

Voltaire said: "Those who can make you believe absurdities can make you commit atrocities."

H.L.Mencken wrote:"The whole aim of practical politics is to keep the populace alarmed (and hence clamorous to be led to safety) by menacing it with an endless series of hobgoblins, all of them imaginary.”

Only two things are infinite, the universe and human stupidity, and I'm not sure about the former. Albert Einstein