Pere David's deer  (Elaphurus davidianus)

As inhabitants of open marshland and plains, this deer was easily hunted and suffered huge population losses in the 19th century (5). At this time the Emperor of China established a large herd in his ‘Imperial Hunting Park' where the deer thrived. Pere David, a French missionary, became fascinated by these animals and persuaded the Emperor to allow some deer to be sent to Europe (6). Shortly after this, in May 1865, there were catastrophic floods in China, killing the entire population of Pere David's deer. Fortunately the captive populations in Europe bred well, and in 1986 a small group of 39 individuals was reintroduced to the Dafeng Nature Reserve in China (3).

The present reintroduced population within the Dafeng Nature Reserve is contained within enclosures, where it is subject to captive management and is protected from hunting. Over the years, this population has increased in numbers, and it is hoped that at some point in the future, a free-ranging population could be established in China (1) (3). This species was saved from the brink of extinction and is making a slow but steady recovery. It is, however, dependant on conservation measures and captive management and so it is essential that these efforts are continued (3).