TWYCROSS Zoo is the only collection in the UK to exhibit and breed the rare Tufted Deer. Our latest arrival a tiny male was born on 3rd April 2010. Mother “Michelle” and father “Mitch” have taken to parenthood extremely well, older brother named Ying Xiong (pronounced Ying Yong) was born last year on 16th June 09.

The fawn named xxxx is suckling from Michelle on demand and butts the teat in the same way a lamb does to stimulate the milk flow. The fawn will suckle until he is two months old and will then be weaned on to carrots, apple, cabbage, Swede, parsnips and a concentrate mix and begin to eat the same as his parents. At present he has two white stripes down his spine, eventually they will fade away when he becomes an adult, these are to help with camouflage in the wild.

The tufted deer is a crepuscular animal, most active at dawn and dusk. Tufted deer are territorial, and rarely leave their home range, which is criss-crossed by a network of trails. Both sexes bark when alarmed, but due to their colouration (typically dark brown, but white on the belly) they are very difficult to spot. Barking is also used in the breeding season for locating and communicating with partners. The deer has small antlers and like the related species the munkjack the males have short tusks. The most prominent feature is a tuft of black hair over the forehead. The tufted deer has a white tail and they will use it to signal.