Spooky, Secretive, Blood-Sucking – Or Just Misunderstood? Meet The Vampire Deer

There are a lot of spookily named animals living it up on planet Earth: the vampire squid is neither vampire nor squid, vampire finches do actually eat blood, and vampire bats can run surprisingly fast as well as flying – so then what about the vampire deer?

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Why do vampire deer have fangs?

The vampire deer is actually a nickname given to the Chinese water deer because of its “fangs”. These are curved upper canine teeth that stick out over the mouth and are known as tusks. These tusks can grow to 5 centimeters (2 inches) in length.

Interestingly this is the only species of deer that does not possess antlers. 

Where do vampire deer live?

Chinese water deer are native to Korea and China. In Korea, they are relatively widespread and can be considered a pest for damage to crops. 

There is an invasive population living in Europe, including the United Kingdom where the population numbers around 2,000. This population is thought to be made up of zoo escapees and deliberately released individuals and can be legally shot as an invasive species within the UK at certain times of year. 

These deer are typically solitary, except in the breeding season when females may produce up to six fawns from May to July, though it is thought that 40 percent of fawns die in the first four weeks. 

Are vampire deer dangerous?

Chinese water deer are not dangerous and are quite a small species standing only around 50 centimeters (20 inches) tall. 

Despite their name, they have no inclination to eat blood and instead have a herbivorous diet consisting of grasses and other vegetation. 

Given their name of “water deer”, these small creatures can swim surprisingly well. 

Conservation of the vampire deer

In China and Korea, poaching and habitat destruction are the major threats to this species. The deer are hunted for their meat as well as specific body parts used in traditional medicines. 

Habitat loss due to agricultural reasons remains a dominant threat. The IUCN currently lists the species as Vulnerable.