Bukhara Deer within Its Broken Area - Problems for Species Survival.

IUCN-SSC Deer Specialist News 15: 2-4.

Beginn des Artikels:

The endangered subspecies of red deer – bukhara deer (Cervus elaphus bactrianus) IUCN Red Data Book - is unique in several ways, differing morphologically both from other European subspecies of red deer, and from the Asian  and  American  subspecies (wapitoides). This subspecies possesses specific physiological adaptations to the arid conditions of Central Asia, most notably to the very limited supply and quality of food resources.

Our investigations had shown its specificity in behavior and communication, which appeared to be consistent across different ecological conditions and densities. One of the most vivid examples of this specificity is a stable creation of true leks, which is characteristic only for this subspecies of red deer. According to the most recent genetic analyses carried out by our colleagues from Great Britain, it is shown – together with Kashmir and Yarkand deer – to be a monophyletic and ancient clade, close to the common ancestry of elaphoids and wapitoides. These tests were conducted on samples of hair collected in different riparian forests of Amudaria.

As the only true deer species in the arid zone of central Asia, it has always been strictly associated with the riparian forests of river valleys.  As the most favorable areas  for  agriculture in the surrounding desert, these valleys suffer greatly from anthropogenic influences. Being both sedentary and rare, the number of animals and the distribution of bukhara deer reduced greatly in the 70s and 80s.  Recently, it has come to be under threat of extinction, as a result of a great decrease in numbers in certain populations, and from the elimination of others.