The Chinese Water Deer, The Weird Animal That Looks Like A Vampire
Deer typically conjure a wholesome image of a furry four-legged animal grazing in an idyllic field. But what if the deer had a pair of sharp fangs protruding from its mouth? Well, meet the real-life fanged Chinese water deer, also known as the "vampire deer."
Chinese water deer, or Hydropotes inermis, are easily distinguished by their noticeable fangs that hang at the edges of their mouth. They also feature long bunny-like ears.
Because both males and females only grow up to 22 inches from the shoulder line, they're considered one of the smaller deer species in the world.
As its name suggests, this vampire deer is indigenous to China, specifically the Jiangsu province around the Yancheng Coastal Wetlands. They're a common sight around the Zhejiang Islands and other provinces of Shanghai, Henan, Hubei, Fujian, and Guangdong.
These weird animals can also be found in Europe and parts of South America and North America too. That is in part because back in the 1800s, the Chinese water deer stole the attention of Western traders, who brought them to the U.K. as zoo attractions.
But in 1929, a number of these vampire deer successfully escaped from the Whipsnade Zoo in Dunstable, u.K. and quickly populated the English countryside, mainly in Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire, and Norfolk.
Astonishingly, these strange animals managed to acclimate to the European climate, as these deer are naturally built to survive cold temperatures. Moreover, they are excellent swimmers.
Sadly, due to their unique fangs and teddy bear-like look, the Chinese water deer has become a prime target among local hunters. They are considered extinct in France, and their species is listed as "vulnerable" by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).
