Sika Deer
Cervus nippon
Photo: Roxanne Lazarus / CC BY-NC 4.0 / iNaturalist
The sika deer is Japan's best-known deer, living in forests and grasslands nationwide and showing white spots in its summer coat. Males use their antlers in autumn contests. The deer around Nara Park, long treasured as messengers of the Kasuga Taisha shrine deities, are a national Natural Monument as "the deer of Nara," and the deer of Kashima in Matsuyama, Ehime, and of Hirado, Nagasaki, are prefectural Natural Monuments.
- Scientific name
- Cervus nippon
- Group
- Mammals
- Prefectures
- Nara, Ehime, Nagasaki
- 日本語
- ニホンジカ
- 简体中文
- 梅花鹿
Sign in to record the animals you meet in your private journal and to post photos and comments. Browsing needs no account.
Sign inNatural Monuments related to the Sika Deer
Where to see the Sika Deer
Facilities whose official websites show this animal on display. Exhibits can change, so check each facility's latest information before you go.
Map
Markers show designated habitats and breeding sites.
Loading map…
Frequently asked questions
The Sika Deer is designated as a species without a fixed area and lives in places such as Nara, Ehime, Nagasaki.
You can see the Sika Deer at Asahiyama Zoo, Fukuoka City Zoological Garden, Inokashira Park Zoo, Kyoto City Zoo, Toyama Municipal Family Park, among others (confirmed on each facility's official website on 2026-10-15).
Animals related to the Sika Deer
Animals in the same group or designated in the same area.
Community photos
Sign in to post and share photos and comments about the animals you meet.
Comments
No comments yet.