Axis or Chital have Three Pronged Antlers and Can Be Found in Texas
The enormous antlers of the Chital or Axis Deer are very different from your everyday variety of deer that you see in Texas. These exotic creatures have three-pronged antlers, nearly 1m (3.3 ft) long. The antlers are present only on the males. The Chital or cheetal (Axis axis), also known as spotted deer or axis deer, is a species of deer that is native in the Indian subcontinent. The species dates back to 1777.
A moderate-sized deer, male chital reach nearly 90 cm (35 in) and females 70 cm (28 in) at the shoulder. While males weigh 30–75 kg (66–165 lb), the lighter females weigh 25–45 kg (55–99 lb).
The upper parts are golden to rufous, completely covered in white spots. The abdomen, rump, throat, insides of legs, ears, and tail are all white.
Where does the name Chital “Axis” come from?
According to wikipedia (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chital), The scientific name of the chital is Axis axis. “Axis” has several possible origins: the Greek axōn, the Lithuanium ašis, or the Sanskrit akṣaḥ. The vernacular name chital is derived from the Hindi cītal or from the Sanskrit citrala, both of which mean “variegated”, in reference to the spotted coat of the deer. Another possible origin is from the Sanskrit citra, which means “bright” or “spotted” or simply the spotted deer, and axis deer.
References
- Duckworth, J.W.; Kumar, N.S.; Anwarul Islam, M.; Sagar Baral, H.; Timmins, R. (2015). “Axis axis”. IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. IUCN. 2015: e.T41783A22158006. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2015-4.RLTS.T41783A22158006.en. Retrieved 27 August 2016.
- ^ http://www.dictionary.com/browse/chital
- ^ “Axis”. Merriam-Webster Dictionary. Retrieved 10 March 2016.
- ^ Jump up to:a b c d e f g h Schmidly, D.J. (2004). The Mammals of Texas (Revised ed.). Austin, Texas (USA): University of Texas Press. pp. 263–4. ISBN 978-1-4773-0886-8.
- ^ Jump up to:a b “Chital”. Merriam-Webster Dictionary. Retrieved 10 March 2016.
