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You are viewing an archived site. The Chesapeake Bay Introduced Species Database project ended in 2020 and the database is no longer receiving updates. Learn more…
Image of Cervus nippon

Cervus nippon

Mammals

Sika Deer

Fawns have spots to keep them from being spotted, but Sika Deer are one of the few deer species to keep their spots into adulthood. Sika Deer are native to Japan, Eastern China, Korea, and southeastern Siberia. They are rare in most of their native range except for Japan, but have been widely introduced in Europe, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa and the United States. In the United States they are established in Maryland, Virginia, Texas, Oklahoma, and Wisconsin. The first introduction in the Chesapeake region was the release of 4 or 5 deer on James Island in Dorchester County MD in 1916. Over time, the offspring of these few deer spread all along the eastern shore of Dorchester County, Somerset, and Wicomico Counties. Today one of the most popular places to see these introduced spotted deer is Assateague Island. In 1923, seven deer were released on the island and by the late 1960s the population exceeded 1,000. Today the population is controlled by hunting. They are terrestrial, but do much of their feeding in marshes and swamps, where excess browsing can promote erosion.

Image Credit: Kim Philips

Description Taxonomy Invasion History Ecology Impacts References

Description

Synonymy - Feldhamer (1980) lists 77 synonyms for this animal, but most are 19th-century, and none are used in North American literature.

Taxonomy

Kingdom Phylum Class Order Family Genus
Animalia Chordata Mammalia Artiodactyla Cervidae Cervus

Synonyms

Invasion History

Chesapeake Bay Status

First Record Population Range Introduction Residency Source Region Native Region Vectors
1916 Established Expanding Introduced Boundary Resident East Asia East Asia Fisheries(Fisheries Intentional)

History of Spread

Cervus nippon (Sika Deer) are native to Japan, Eastern China, Korea, and soiutheastern Siberia. They have been widely introduced in Europe, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa and the United States (Paradiso 1969; Feldhamer 1980; Ratcliffe 1991; Kalb and Bowman 2017).

In North America, Cervus nippon are established in MD, VA, and TX (Feldhamer and Armstrong 1993). In 1916, 4 or 5 deer were released on James Island, Dorchester County MD. The deer soon colonized nearby Taylors Island and by 1962 were present along all the eastern shoreline of Dorchester County, and are now extend into western Somerset and Wicomico Counties, especially in the southern portion of the county (Flyger and Davis 1964, Paradiso 1969; Feldhamer and Armstrong 1993; Maryland Department of Natural Resources 2000). In 1923, 7 deer were released on Assateague Island (MD-VA). By the late 1960s, C. nippon populations on Assateague exceeded 1,000, and are continuing to increase (Keiper 1990; Feldhamer and Armstrong 1993). By 2014, the range had extended to much of the Eastern Shore of the Bay, from Kent County MD to Accomck County VA (Kalb and Bowman 2017)

History References- Flyger and Davis 1964, Feldhamer and Armstrong 1993; Keiper 1990; Maryland Department of Natural Resources 2000; Paradiso 1969; Ratcliffe 1991; Kalb and Bowman 2017

Invasion Comments

Ecology

Environmental Tolerances

For SurvivalFor Reproduction
Minimum Maximum Minimum Maximum
Temperature (ºC)
Salinity (‰) 0.0 0.0
Oxygen
pH
Salinity Range fresh-eu

Age and Growth

Male Female
Minimum Adult Size (mm)
Typical Adult Size (mm)
Maximum Adult Size (mm)
Maximum Longevity (yrs)
Typical Longevity (yrs

Reproduction

Start Peak End
Reproductive Season
Typical Number of Young
Per Reproductive Event
Sexuality Mode(s)
Mode(s) of Asexual
Reproduction
Fertilization Type(s)
More than One Reproduction
Event per Year
Reproductive Startegy
Egg/Seed Form

Impacts

Economic Impacts in Chesapeake Bay

Cervus nippon (Sika Deer) populations and range are expanding on the Eastern Shore of MD (Maryland Department of Natural Resources 2000), so impacts are expected to increase.

Fisheries (Hunting) - Competition between Cervus nippon (Sika Deer) and the native Odocoileus virginianus (White-Tailed Deer) is suspected. In Dorchester County MD, C. nippon harvests decreased while Odocoileus virginianus (White-tailed Deer) increase, 1973-1991, but this conclusion is subject to possible biases of hunters (Feldhamer and Armstrong 1990). A similar trend has been seen on Assateague Island, MD-VA, where a seasonal hunt is permitted, and where animal counts are more accurate (Keiper 1985b; Keiper 1990). At the same time, World-Wide Web advertisements indicate that many guide services and motels on the Eastern Shore cater to out-of-state hunters wishing to bag Sika deer (Fofonoff, personal observation). This exotic animal thus has considerable local economic value.

Aesthetic - Cervus nippon, a delicate, beautifully marked deer, also is an attraction to tourists at Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge and Assateague Island (Fofonoff, personal observation; Keiper 1990).

Habitat Change - As an abundant grazer in tidal marshes, C. nippon may have significant impacts on waterfowl habitat at at Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge and elsewhere on the Eastern Shore (Haramis, personal communication 1998).

Agriculture- Cervus nippon frequently feeds on agricultural crops. Special permits are issued for hunting antlerless deer causing agricultural damage (Maryland Department of Natural Resources 2000).

References - Feldhamer and Armstrong 1993; Feldhamer and Marcus 1994; Haramis 1998; Keiper 1985b; Keiper 1990; Maryland Department of Natural Resources 2000

Economic Impacts Outside of Chesapeake Bay

Cervus nippon (Sika Deer) are established in the Chesapeake Bay region, TX, many locations in Europe, and New Zealand. In New Zealand they damage forests, and in TX they are believed to compete with Odocoileus virginianus (White-Tailed Deer) (Lever 1985) In large fenced experimental enclosures in TX, C. nippon populations increased sharply, while O. virginianus declined to extinction (Feldhamer and Marcus 1993).

References- Lever 1985

Ecological Impacts on Chesapeake Native Species

Cervus nippon (Sika Deer) populations and range are expanding on the Eastern Shore of MD (Maryland Department of Natural Resources 2000), so impacts are expected to increase.

Herbivory- Cervus nippon (Sika Deer) stomach contents, on Assateague Island include a large portion of salt marsh grasses (Keiper 1990). These deer are believed to be important grazers in marshes at Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge (Haramis, personal communication 1998).

Competition- In Dorchester Co. MD, C. nippon harvests increased while Odocoileus virginianus (White-tailed Deer) decreased, during 1973-1991. This trend is subject to the biases of hunters On Assateague Island, where more accurate counts can be made, C. nippon populations also were rapidly increasing, while O. virginianus abundance appeared to be declining. In a TX enclosure experiment; C. nippon increased while O. virginianus declined to extinction. C. nippon was able to switch to grasses and maintain reproduction as forage quality decreased, while O. virginianus could not (Feldhamer and Armstrong 1990). Feeding studies on Assateague island indicate considerable overlap in diet, but also differences, with C. nippon utilizing marshes to a greater extent (Keiper 1985; Keiper 1990). Evidence for competition between the two species in MD appears to be equivocal, given differences in resource use.

References- Feldhamer and Armstrong 1990; Haramis, personal communication 1998; Keiper 1985; Keiper 1990; Maryland Department of Natural Resources 2000

Ecological Impacts on Other Chesapeake Non-Native Species

Cervus nippon (Sika Deer) may interact with Equus caballus (Ponies) and consume exotic and cryptogenic plants on the MD Eastern Shore. Keiper (1990) described grazing and impacts of these large herbivores on Assateague Island but did not discuss their interactions.

References- Keiper 1985b; Keiper 1990

References

Feldhamer, George A. (1980) Cervus nippon, Mammalian Species 128: 1-7

Feldhamer, George A.; Armstrong, William E. (1993) Interspecific competition between four exotic species and native artiodactyls in the United States, Transactions of the North American Wildlife and Natural Resource Conference 58: 468-478

Feldhamer, George A.; Marcus, Mitchell A. (1994) Reproductive performance of female sika deer in Maryland, journal of Wildlife Management 58: 670-673

Flyger, Vagn (1960) Sika deer on islands in Maryland and Virginia, Journal of Mammalogy 41: 140

Flyger, Vagn; Davis, Norman W. (1964) Distribution of sika deer (Cervus nippon) in Maryland and Virginia in 1962, Chesapeake Science 5: 212-213

Keiper, Ronald R. (1985) Are sika deer responsible for the decline of white-taled deer on Assateague Island, Maryland?, Wildlife Society Bulletn : 144-146

Keiper, Ronald R. (1990) Biology of large grazing mammals on the Virginia Barrier Islands, Virginia Journal of Science 41: 352-363

Lever, Christopher (1985) Naturalized mammals of the world., In: (Eds.) . , London. Pp.

2000 1999-2000 Water Chestnut eradication report. http://www.dnr.state.md.us/bay/sav/water_chestnut_report.html

2000 Sika Deer. http://www.dnr.state.md.us.wildlife/sikadeerfs.html

Paradiso, John L. (1969) Mammals of Maryland, , Washington, D.C.. Pp.

Ratcliffe, P. R. (1990) The Handbook of British Mammals, , Oxford. Pp. 504-508

Walker, Ernest P. (1968) Mammals of the World, , Baltimore, MD. Pp.

Direct questions and comments to chesnemo@si.edu.

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