If you are expecting to see great herds of antelope and deer in Yalal National Park then you are going to be disappointed. This is not the great African Serengeti grass plains.

Sri Lankan Axis Spotted Deer

The Sri Lankan deer live in smaller family groups. They use the jungle as cover and come out to feed on the grass when they feel it is safe. There are two main species of deer you will see. The Sri Lankan Axis Deer more commonly known as the spotted deer and the larger Sambur Deer. There are two other deer species in Sri Lanka, the Barking deer and Hog deer, but I did not see any of those during our Yala National Park Safari Tour.

Sri Lankan Axis Spotted Deer

These deer are very pretty. They are easily identifiable because of their white spotted backs and ginger hide. They eat many types of grasses, fruits, leaves and berries. Their predators are man, leopards, Jackals and Sloth bears. They are at risk from hunting and loss of habitat. They can be found in shrub lands, Savannas and forests. They normally stay away from highland mountain areas.

The Spotted deer is the most common of all four Sri Lankan deer species. It has been noted that the deer cleverly use other animals as look outs. They will feed near troops of gray Laugur and Bonnet Macaque monkeys. If danger is seen they let out warning squeals. During the rutting season the stags put their necks back and let out a loud roar. If you are lucky you will see males in one to one combat clashing together with their antlers. The winner becomes the king of the herd and gains mating rights with all the females. It is natures way of keeping the blood line strong. The females normally only give birth to one fawn each year.

Sri Lankan Sambur Deer

Sri Lankan Sambur Deer

Sambur Deer are much bigger than the Spotted Deer. They have a shaggy disheveled warmer looking coat. The adult male Sambur deer are called Stags and the females are called Hinds, not buck and doe. The Sambur deer is the largest of the Sri Lankan deer species. It is the size of a cow. They are brown and can be found in the forests. They are a rare sight in Yala. More are found in Horton Plains grazing out in the open most evenings. The breed annually and normally only produce one calf. The Sambur have the same predators as the Spotted Deer but find it easier to escape notice inside the dense jungle forests.

There have been eye witness accounts of adult Sambur successfully fighting off attacks by leopards using their size and horns. it is mainly the young deer that stray from their mothers that are at risk of being killed and eaten. The Sambur will eat leaves on trees and bushes if there is no good grass grazing to be found locally. The are active at night so you may see them resting during the day. The males grow new antlers each year. They are fully grown by the rutting season that normally occurs in the the last few months of the year. If you are lucky you may see the males fighting each other. More often you hear the fights first.

Large family group of Sambur deer in Yala National Park Sri Lanka

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