One of the largest of the sika subspecies is the Manchurian Sika Deer.
Sika deer (which are elk) keep their spots their entire life.
At one time they were the main prey of the Siberian tiger. Today, they are
apparently extinct in the wild. Only three accredited zoos have them in the U.S. - ZooMontana, the San Diego Zoo and Zoo Boise.
The Manchurian Sika are now called the "Northern Mainland" sika as it is believed they
are natural hybrids of several large northern sika subspecies now considered extinct.
Rocket was born at ZooMontana.
Tips for Taking Photos of Rocket
Rocket is skittish and afraid of loud noises. If you are trying to take his picture, approach his exhibit quietly.
He likes to lay down behind the tree by his barn and up on the ridge next to the red panda exhibit. The fencing makes a lot of shots difficult, but
if he is up on the ridge you can get a good shot. Also, if he's close to the fence and you have a good zoom, you can get his face in between the fencing.
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