© Forestry Administration / WWF

Eld's Deer

Camera-trap photo: Eld’s deer are listed as endangered both nationally and globally. Cambodia is one of the pre-eminent countries for this distinctive deer with globally significant populations remaining in the northern and eastern lowland dry forests.
Key Facts
Common name
Common Name

Eld's Deer

Endangered

Status

In Cambodia: Endangered; IUCN: Endangered; CITES: Appendix I

IUCN Red List Entry
Weight

Weight

Up to 150 kg

Latin name

Scientific Name

Rucervus eldii

Length

Body Length

150 - 180 cm

Did you know?

Did you know?

Cambodia supports the largest global population of Eld's deer

With their manes and bow-shaped antlers, Eld’s deer are a distinctive looking character species of the Lower Mekong Dry Forest Ecoregion. In contrast to their more common cousins, Sambar, Eld’s deer prefer dry and open forests.

In Cambodia, in the first decade of the 21st century, the species declined by 90% or more. The Indochinese subspecies of Eld’s deer is considered highly threatened – besides two populations in Lao PDR, the species only remains in northern and easterns lowland forests in Cambodia where densities are worryingly low. As a result, the small remnant groups that are patchily distributed in Cambodia’s Eastern Plains Landscape are highly significant for the survival of this beautiful species.