One of the largest of the sika subspecies is the Northern Mainland 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 our first born sika deer here at ZooMontana. He was actually a bit of a surprise as his mother was not “supposed” to be pregnant
when San Diego transferred her here. His birthday is May 23, 1997.
He loses his antlers yearly around late April early May and stays in velvet until mid Sept.
He enjoys snacking on all types of browse, his favorite being willow branches. It is not uncommon to see him standing on his hind legs in order to pull off some fresh limbs from his willow tree.
His diet consists of alfalfa flakes, fresh browse, alfalfa pellets, and fresh fruits and veggies.
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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