Sika deer can be pets: deer classed as domestic animals, not wild animals
Sika deer can be pets: deer classed as domestic animals, not wild animals
2024-03-20
Sika deer are some of Taiwan’s most common large animals. They can be seen at most zoos and leisure farms. But did you know, they are legally classed as domestic animals, not wild animals? That means they can be raised as pets without a license. So why are deer considered domestic? And what kind of pet does a deer make? Let’s hear from a zookeeper and a former owner of a pet deer.
It’s mealtime, but if it wasn’t these sika deer would be hiding cautiously away, on the rocky slopes.
Wu Hsueh-chih
Shoushan Zoo zookeeper
They’re very cautious. They won’t come down if a stranger is here.
Sika deer are known as some of the scaredy cats of the animal kingdom. They’re constantly scanning their environment for danger and usually come out at night.
But did you know that sika deer are legally classified as domestic animals, the same as cats and dogs? When the Wildlife Conservation Act was adopted in 1989, wild sika deer had already gone extinct in Taiwan. It was only thanks to conservation work in Kenting National Park that they reappeared in the wild. So legally, they’re not wild, and it’s legal to keep them as pets without a special license.
Wu Hsueh-chih
Shoushan Zoo zookeeper
If you want to keep one as a pet, try to get a female, not a male, because they grow horns.
Few sika deer live in the wild, but they can be seen across Taiwan on farms and leisure farms and in zoos. And a few people keep them as pets.
Lang-ge
Former sika deer owner
Sika deer are very people-like actually, like dogs are. I could teach my deer to shake my hand. You have to be careful when you take them outside, and keep them away from wild dogs.
Wu Hsueh-chih
Shoushan Zoo zookeeper
You must keep them on a lead, don’t let them run free. They’re very cautious and they’ll run away if they meet a stranger. That’s especially true where there are cars, like on big roads – it’s extremely dangerous.
This zookeeper explains that keeping a pet deer requires a lot of patience, quite like keeping a pet dog. Deer must always be fed by a specific member of the household, who the deer will take as their owner and follow. Like cats and dogs, they can be taught tricks like shaking your hand.
For more Taiwan news, tune in:
Sun to Fri at 9:30 pm on Channel 152
Tue to Sat at 1 am on Channel 53
梅花鹿屬"生性膽小"家畜專家:當寵物帶出門需繫繩
2024-03-20
很多人以為梅花鹿在台灣是保育類動物，其實在法律定位上，牠是家畜，是可以飼養的。只不過，梅花鹿生性膽小，很容易受到驚嚇亂竄，因此若要帶梅花鹿出門，專家建議一定要繫繩，以免發生危險。
不到放飯時間，這群梅花鹿可是都躲在山壁上，不輕言下山。
[[壽山動物園飼養員 吳雪枝]]
“膽子比較小，遇到陌生人的話牠就不敢下來”
梅花鹿堪稱是動物界的膽小鬼，總是四處警戒著，也因此牠們總是在夜間出沒。
但你可知道，梅花鹿其實跟豬、狗一樣，都是家畜。因為早在1989年野生動物保育法公告前，梅花鹿就已經在台灣野外絕跡，後來才在墾丁國家公園內人工復育，因此不能算是野生動物，一般人都可以飼養，不需要任何申請。
[[壽山動物園飼養員 吳雪枝]]
“如果你要當寵物養的話，盡量是母的，公的就不要，公的會長角”
儘管台灣梅花鹿曾在野外銷聲匿跡，但在全台各地的畜牧場或觀光鹿場、動物園裏，也有少部份民眾養來當做寵物。
[[養過梅花鹿的飼主 郎哥]]
“其實梅花鹿牠很有人性，牠跟狗一樣，我那隻鹿是可以教到可以握手。帶牠出門一定要小心，就是讓牠避開外面的野狗”
[[壽山動物園飼養員 吳雪枝]]
“要牽著啦，你不能放掉，牠很膽小，遇到陌生的人的話，牠就會亂跑亂竄，尤其有車子的地方，像大馬路就非常危險”
飼養員表示，飼養梅花鹿要很有耐心，和狗一樣，由家中同一個人固定餵食，牠就會認定你是主人，跟著你走，也能和毛小孩一樣學會握手等動作。
更多新聞內容，請鎖定：
民視台灣台（152頻道）週日至週五晚上9:30
民視新聞台（53頻道）週二至週六凌晨1:00
Related News
