The Sambar

Cervus unicolor

The sambar is the largest indian deer and carries the grandest horns. A full-grown stag weighs between 250 to 320 kgs. The general colour of the body is brown with a yellowish tinge. Old stags tend to become very dark, almost black. It is distributed through the wooded area of India, Burma and Ceylon, extending through Malay countries and eastwards to the Phillipines and beyond. The Indian race is confined to India. It prefers to stay near cultivations. The food of sambar consists of grass, leaves, and various kinds of wild fruit in the wild. They do not like to come out during day time and prefer to feed at night. Pairing takes place in November and December. The young are born at the commencement of rains in late May or early June.