Mammal

Chital (spotted deer)

Axis axis

हिन्दी: चीतल

IUCN: Least Concern

Chital stag with spotted coat and antlers drinking at a pool

Scientific name: Axis axis
Hindi name: चीतल
Family: Cervidae, order Artiodactyla
Group: Mammal
Conservation status: Least Concern
Height: About 70 to 90 cm at the shoulder
Weight: Stags about 70 to 90 kg

India's most familiar deer, spotted for life.

Spot it Golden-brown coat with white spots at every age; stags carry three-pointed antlers.
Home Open forest and grassland near water.
Food web Grazes grass and eats fallen fruit; the main prey of tigers and leopards.
Why it matters Turns grass into food for the big cats; without chital, tigers cannot thrive.

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