Amazon Animals

You can only find this endangered species of animals in Indonesia. Most specifically, they live in a small island called Bawean island which is close to the Java Sea. This island is approximately 200 square miles but because of rampant hunting, the Bawean Deer has significantly decreased in population. The sad part is the more rare this endangered species of animals becomes, the more hunters seek them out.

The time line for the Bawean Deer’s plight began in the 1970s up to the 1980s when it was very difficult to find one in the island.  Then in 1994, it was declared to be endangered. Unfortunately, the trend did not reverse and now it is critical to almost extinct. As of last count, there were only 300 Bawean Deer left in the world.

Aside from hunting, the island has been partially transformed into teak plantations which took over the homes of the deer. They lost not just a safe haven but also their food source. The Bawean Deer eats only branches, leaves, and grass. When they could not longer access the food, they began to starve and had to work harder to find their food.

The physical frame of the Bawean deer is distinct in that its front legs are not as long as the back legs. When they walk, they tend to lean forward because of the uneven lengths. They are non-aggressive and quiet. The problem being faced by these deer is not just deforestation and lack of food supply. Being an island in the tropics means they are also vulnerable to typhoons, strong monsoon rains, and other natural disasters. An earthquake could trigger a tsunami which could wipe out the entire 300 Bawean deer instantly. Even the climate changes are harder for them since they lost their forests which used to protect them from the heat of the sun.

The Indonesian Wildlife Protection agency has legislation in place to protect the Bawean Deer. They have begun to breed the deer in zoos and controlled environments. However, the government lacks will power. Take for instance the Bawean deer that was being cared for in Surabaya Zoo in East Java. Due to neglect and failure to notify the vet, the deer died along with other endangered animals like the Sumatran tiger, Komodo lizard, an African lion, a babirusa cub, and some birds. This happened just last year, 2010 in August. The cause of death was insufficient cage room and lack of medical attention. The license of the zoo has been revoked, although it is still one less Bawean deer, and one step closer to extinction.

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Tags: endangered bawean deer, endangered species

This entry was posted on Wednesday, June 15th, 2011 at 8:33 am and is filed under Endangered Animals. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.