page_title: Marsh deer
section_title: Description
hierarchical_section_title: Marsh deer / Description
caption_attribution_description: English: Close-up of a female marsh deer (Blastocerus dichotomus) in Itirapina, São Paulo state, Brazil.This surprisingly shy and secretive deer is actually the largest native deer species in South America. Marsh deer have large, primarily ornamental antlers, which are usually impressively forked, growing to about 60 centimetres in length and weighing, on average, about two kilograms. They are shed irregularly and may be retained for up to two years. Marsh deer also have well-developed hindquarters, making them good at jumping, which is the fastest way to move in water.The marsh deer has a shaggy, reddish chestnut coloured coat, with paler undersides of the neck and belly. The muzzle and lips are black, as are the lower legs. The eye is surrounded by a faint white ring and the large ears are lined with white hair. Marsh deer have long, broad hooves that are particularly adapted to the marshy environment, as they are joined by a special membrane and can spread out, giving the hooves a greater surface area, to prevent the deer from sinking into swampy ground. Português: Cervo-do-pantanal (Blastocerus dichotomus) em close, Itirapina, São Paulo, Brasil. Español: Ciervo de los pántanos hembra (Blastocerus dichotomus) en Itirapina, estado de São Paulo, Brasil.
context_page_description: The marsh deer, sometimes known as the swamp deer, is the largest deer species from South America reaching a length of 2 m and a shoulder height of 1.2 m. It is found in Argentina, Bolivia, Peru, Brazil, Uruguay and Paraguay. Formerly found in much of tropical and subtropical South America, it ranged east of the Andes, south from the Amazon rainforest, west of the Brazilian Atlantic rainforest and north of the Argentinian Pampa. Today it is largely reduced to isolated populations at marsh and lagoon zones in the Paraná, Paraguay, Araguaia and Guapore river basins. Small populations also occur in the southern Amazon, including Peru where protected in Bahuaja-Sonene National Park. It is listed as a vulnerable species by the IUCN and on CITES Appendix I.
  The latter half of its scientific name refers to the forked antlers. Marsh deer resemble the North American mule deer or blacktail deer.
context_section_description: They possess very large ears lined with white hairs, red-gold to tawny brown fur, blackish eyes and long dark legs.  The hair turns darker during winter.  There are also white marks on the hips and around the eyes.  The legs are black below the tarsal as is the muzzle. The tail is of a paler reddish tone than the rest of the body on its upper part and black on the under part. The head-and-body length is 153 to 200 cm (5.02 to 6.56 ft), while the tail adds a further 12–16 cm (4.7–6.3 in). The height at the shoulder can range from 100 to 127 cm (3.28 to 4.17 ft).
  The hoof, which is large in relation to the body, has elastic interdigital membranes which are useful for swimming and walking on marshy surfaces.  Only the males possess antlers which are ramified and reach a length of 60 cm (23 inches). An adult typically grows to a weight of 80 to 125 kg (176 to 276 lb), although an occasional big male can weigh up to 150 kg (330 lb).
caption: Close-up of a female marsh deer in Itirapina, São Paulo state, Brazil.
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