Axis axis

The deer are native to India and Sri Lanka where they inhabit the sparse forest and grasslands.  The axis deer have become established on the islands of Lanai and Molokai.  The axis deer were introduced to Hawaii in December 1867 when eight animals were unloaded in Honolulu as a gift to Kamehameha V.  In January 1868 the king released these animals on his private Molokai lands.  Under royal protection these animals multiplied, and some were brought back to Oahu and released.  Deer that were released on Lanai in 1920 also became established.  The animals on Oahu eventually died out although a remnant herd was still present in Moanalua Valley in 1962.  As game animals the deer are under the management of the State's Division of Forestry and Wildlife.  Public hunting on a limited seasonal basis is conducted on Molokai and Lanai.

 As is common in other tropical deer species, there is no set breeding season.  Estrus in females occurs throughout the year on an individual basis.  Gestation is seven to eight months.  The males have a similar situation with the shedding of antlers.  Antlers are part of the skull arising as outgrowths with a bony core from skin covered pedicels.  As antlers grow they maintain a skin covering to protect the soft growing tissue that has a large blood supply.  When antlers have attained full size for the animal's age, the blood supply is shut off, the tissue hardens and the skin begins to slough.  Antlers are used in mating displays and also as weapons.  The first sets of antlers are usually spikes, and develop each subsequent year to their maximum size.  In axis bucks this maximum is by their third or fourth year.  Only three tines are found on each antler.  Antlers are shed when the blood supply to the antler base are closed off.  The tissue that holds the antlers to the pedicel dies and the antlers simply drop off.  The axis deer retain the white spotting throughout life, and so they are considered to be an older form of deer than the temperate climate deer.  These deer actively forage in early morning and late evening while spending the rest of the day resting.  They are four-toed ungulates, good swimmers and can be vocal.  Life span is nine to eleven years.

 Our axis deer were born at the zoo; hand raised and spent time as petting zoo animals.  Faline, our female, was born in Oct.1999,  and male Cupid  in Dec. 2000.  Their morning zoo diet is 4 cups of alfalfa pellets, 2 cups corncob, and hay.  In the afternoon they get fresh cut tall grass and leafy branches.