White-lipped Deer
Taxonomy
- Phylum: Chordata – chordates
- Class: Mammalia – mammals
- Order: Artiodactyla – even-toed ungulates
- Family: Cervidae – deer
- Species: Cervus albirostris – White-lipped deer
Conservation
Distribution and habitat
White-lipped deer are native to China. They live in high-elevation areas 3500-5100 m above sea level and are often found in open habitats such as the montane grasslands and shrublands in the Eastern part of the Tibetan plateau. Some populations can be found further North, living in conifer forests.
Body morphology and adaptations
White-lipped deer are among the largest members of the deer family. The shoulder height of an adult deer is 1.1-1.3 meters, and they weigh 90-220 kg. Males are generally 60% heavier than females. During summer, their coat is dark brown, but in winter it lightens to grey-brown. As their name implies, white-lipped deer have a characteristic white muzzle, as well as a white underside of the throat.
They are unique among other deer in that they have relatively short legs and wide, rounded hooves similar to those of a cow. These adaptations help them navigate on steep and rugged terrain. Males have large antlers, which can weigh up to 7 kilograms.
Diet
White-lipped deer are herbivores. They mainly graze on different grasses and sedges but may ocassionally feed on lichen, tree bark and leaves. The diet of a white-lipped deer includes at least 95 different species of plants.
Breeding
In the wild, male and female white-lipped deer live in separate groups up until the rut period in October. They will then form large mixed herds of up to 300 individuals. The gestation period lasts approximately 8 months, and offspring are born in May or June. Typically, one calf is born, although occasionally two calves may be born to a single mother. The calves are well developed and can stand on their own within half an hour of birth. They are weaning for at least 10 months. After this period, young males join other males in a separate herd, while young females remain in the herd they were raised in.
Conservation and threats
Although white-lipped deer are protected by law in China, they are still being hunted for food and for use in traditional Chinese medicine. The hunting of young males for their large antlers contributes directly to the fragmentation of wild populations and negatively impacts the species’ ability to recover in numbers.
References:
Ehler, P. (2002, April 4). Przewalskium albirostris (white-lipped deer). Animal Diversity Web. Skatīts 17. oktobrī, 2025, https://animaldiversity.org/accounts/Przewalskium_albirostris/
Harris, R.B. 2015. Cervus albirostris. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2015: e.T4256A61976756. http://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2015-2.RLTS.T4256A61976756.en
Huffman, B. Thorold’s deer, White-lipped deer ( Przewalskium albirostris ) [Fact sheet]. Ultimate Ungulate. Skatīts 17. oktobrī, 2025, https://www.ultimateungulate.com/Artiodactyla/Przewalskium_albirostris.html
Wilson, D. E., & Mittermeier, R. A. (Eds.). (2011). Handbook of the mammals of the world: Vol. 2. Hoofed mammals. Lynx Edicions.
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