Muntjac - Muntiacus reevesi

The smallest British deer, barely the size of an Alsatian dog, with a rounded and arched back. Coat is reddish brown and, at a glance, it is sometimes mistaken for a Fox. The antlers are small and straight (up to 10cm long) and form a v-shaped ridge on its face. The male has small antlers and long canines projecting as tusks. The tusks of the females are shorter.

Favours areas of dense undergrowth, through which it can move with surprising speed and silence. It sometimes lives in suburban gardens, hiding away during the day.

All year round

It can breed all year round (our other deer mate only during a seasonal rut).

Established and fairly common in parts of central and southern England, these animals are all descendants of escapees from Woburn Park in Bedfordshire.

Common in Leicestershire and Rutland.