Mammals of the WorldJavan Deer
Rusa timorensis
- Order
- Artiodactyla
- Family
- Cervidae
- Genus
- Rusa
- IUCN status
- VU
- Distribution
- Indonesia|East Timor
- Realm
- Indomalaya|Australasia
Other names: Maned Sambar|Rusa Deer|Sunda Sambar|Timor Deer
About this species
The Javan rusa or Sunda sambar (Rusa timorensis) is a large deer species native to Indonesia and Timor-Leste. Introduced populations exist in a wide variety of locations in the Southern Hemisphere. Rusa is the Malay word for "deer" in general as well as lending the name to its own genus. Seven subspecies of the Javan rusa are recognised: R. t. timorensis (Timor rusa deer) – Timor. R. t. djonga – Muna and Butung Islands. (Wikipedia, general species account).
Notable features include been introduced to Irian Jaya, Borneo, the Lesser Sunda Islands, Maluku, Sulawesi, Pohnpei, Mauritius, Réunion, Fiji, Tonga, Samoa, Vanuatu, the Solomon Islands, the Christmas Island, the Cocos Islands, Nauru, Groote Eylandt, Mainland Australia, New Caledonia, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, New Britain, and New Ireland. Javan rusa are nocturnal, although they do graze during the day. The rusa deer is often found in small groups or pairs, although males are often seen alone. (Wikipedia, general species account).
Description: Wildlife of sulawesi guide, Wildlife of Everywhere (wildlifeofeverywhere.com); general species information paraphrased from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA)