Natural Environment Blog

A rare species of deer has been seen for the first time since 1930 in a national park in Sumatra, Indonesia. 

The deer was actually seen and photographed in 2002, but it wasn’t until now that it has been properly identified.

The deer is a Sumatran muntjac, which was first discovered in 1914. 

The reason it took so long to identify it is because, it was initially identified as a red muntjac - a less endangered species. Experts now believe that it’s the rarer, Sumatran muntjac, because it is much smaller and darker.

“When I saw the photos, I immediately recognized montanus. Its colouration and antlers are both significantly different from its sister species, the red muntjac” said Colin Groves, the taxonomist who identified the deer.

When it was photographed in 2002, the deer had fallen into a hunter’s snare in the Kerinci-Seblat National Park mountains.

At 1.4 million hectares, the Kerinci-Seblat National Park is the largest protected area in Sumatra.  It is also a UNESCO Natural World Heritage site.

“This encounter shows just how much we still have to discover about Sumatra’s rainforests and the biodiversity of Kerinci-Seblat National Park. Yet even as we are learning, the tropical rainforests of Sumatra - even in the mountains and national parks - are under threat. We face losing species we didn’t even know existed,” said Debbie Martyr, FFI Kerinci-Seblat Programme Manager. “We are also concerned that climate change poses a significant threat to this species – they are a mountain dwelling animal and depend entirely on a montane forest habitat. Where can they go if global temperatures rise significantly?”

The Director of the Kerinci-Seblat National Park Authority says “I hope that we can all work together – communities, local government and the national and international scientific and conservation community – to study and conserve this new species of deer for the future”.

He continues, “One of the functions of a national park is to increase knowledge: This discovery shows the importance of further research into the hill and montane rainforests of Sumatra. I strongly suspect that more new species remain to be identified in the forests of Kerinci-Seblat National Park”

Mount Aspiring National Park is located in the South Island of New Zealand, along the southern part of the Southern Alps.

Covering 3,555 square kilometers, Mount Aspiring National Park is a popular destination for bush walkers and mountaineers. The park is named after Mount Aspiring (3,033 meters), and contains a number of spectacular peaks (including Mount Aspiring).

Mount Aspiring National Park was established in 1964, making it New Zealand’s 10th national park at the time (New Zealand now has 14 national parks).

Some of the more popular walking tracks in the park include Gillespie Pass circuit, Rees-Dart circuit, various tracks along the Matukituki Valley, and the famous Routeburn Track (which crosses over into Fiordland National Park).

There are some great day walks, including a beautiful hike to Rob Roy Glacier. Many of the walks in the area are multi-day walks, where you carry everything you need on your back.

Accommodation on the multi day walks is usually at one of the huts or camp sites provided by the Department of Conservation. This accommodation is usually very basic - don’t expect luxury here. But of course, this is part of the wilderness experience and enables you to feel closer to nature. I wouldn’t have it any other way!

Fiordland National Park is the largest of the 14 national parks in New Zealand. It is located in the south west part of the South Island and covers an area of 12,500 square kilometers. Established in 1952, Fiordland National Park is a major part of the Te Wahipounamu World Heritage site.

Fiordland’s landscape is incredibly diverse. At any given moment, you could be staring at snow capped mountains, tussock grasslands, lush rainforests and one or more deep lakes.

Many of the peaks in Fiordland tend to be very tall and steep, and Milford Sound is home to Mitre Peak - the highest peak to rise directly from the sea (see photo).

Wildlife in the area includes dolphins, seals, mice, rats, birds, hare and deer. Most tourists to the area encounter the kea - a mischievous mountain parrot. Lucky tourists may also spot the kakapo - the world’s only flightless parrot, or the kiwi - the national symbol of New Zealand.

Most of Fiordland National Park is inaccessible by road. The only road into the park is Milford Road, or the Te Anau Milford Highway.

The area is very popular with bush walkers (referred to as “trampers” in New Zealand) and mountain climbers. There are several popular walking tracks in the area, including the Milford Track, the Routeburn Track, the Hollyford Track, and the Kepler Track. These walks take several days to complete, and some require that you organize transport to drop you off at the start, and/or pick you up at the end, of the track.

The main gateway into Fiordland is Te Anau. Te Anau is a small town with a permanent population of around 1,800. During the summer months, Te Anau can accommodate more than 4,000 people as many tourists use it as a base as they visit places like Milford Sound and Doubtful Sound, or tackle one of the multi-day walking tracks.

To learn more about Fiordland National Park, check out the Department of Conservation’s website.