The Chinese Water Deer (Hydropotes inermis inermis) is not a species native to the UK as its name might suggest. It’s an Asian species related to the Korean Water Deer (Hydropotes inermis argyropus). There are numerous CWDs in England that are descended from escapees from Whispnade Zoo in the 1920s.
I saw a couple of them on the recently opened new section of RSPB Ouse Fen this morning. Coincidentally, the deer was mentioned on the BBC’s One Show on 31st January. The genus name Hydropotes derives from the Greek meaning “water drinker”. The inermis component of the scientific name comes from the Latin meaning unarmed, alluding to the animal’s lack of antlers. It is worth noting that both male and female adults have protruberant upper canines, which look rather menacing despite the animals rather “Teddy Bear” facial features leading to it being referred to as as a Vampire Deer in some camps. The canines in the two females I espied today were not particularly prominent.
