繁殖期のエゾシカ、縄張りを争う

北海道全域に分布する野生動物、ニホンジカの亜種。特徴は大きな体躯と、雄のみが有する角。角は毎年春頃に落角し、その後に柔らかな短毛が密生する角（袋角）が生え始め、秋の発情期を迎える頃には雄々しい角へと成長する。繁殖は一夫多妻制で行われ、縄張りの中にハーレムを作る。雄同士の争いに勝ち抜いた雄鹿がリーダーとなり、一つの群れを成す。生息地は北海道の本島部分に限られれ、島嶼部で見られる事は無い。また北海道南部、檜山・渡島地方の個体数は非常に少ない。昼行性。

Breeding season, Ezo sika deer fighting for territory.

A wild animal distributed throughout Hokkaido, a subspecies of the Japanese deer. It is characterised by its large body size and horns, which only the male has. The antlers fall off around spring every year, followed by the growth of soft, short-haired, dense antlers (pouch antlers), which grow into magnificent antlers by the time the autumn mating season arrives. Breeding takes place monogamously and harems are built within territories. The stag that wins the battle between males becomes the leader and forms a single herd. Their habitat is restricted to the main island parts of Hokkaido and they are never seen on the islands. Populations in southern Hokkaido and the Hiyama and Watoshima regions are very small. Diurnal.