The chital's coat is pinkish fawn, marked with white spots, and its underparts are also white. Its antlers, which it sheds annually, are usually three-pronged and curve in a lyre shape and may extend to 75 cm (2.5 ft). Compared to the hog deer its close relative, the chital has a more cursorial build.
During our visit to Jim Corbett in May 2013, we were travelling on the main road, when near the Dhikala FRH, close to the fire line I had chance to click this young beautiful Chital deer, also known as spotted deer (Axis axis) , sitting under the shade of a tree. It looked so beautiful and delicate.
The chital's coat is pinkish fawn, marked with white spots, and its underparts are also white. Its antlers, which it sheds annually, are usually three-pronged and curve in a lyre shape and may extend to 75 cm (2.5 ft). Compared to the hog deer its close relative, the chital has a more cursorial build. It also has a more advanced morphology with antler pedicles being proportionally short . It has large nares. The male chital averages about 90 cm (35 in) tall at the shoulder, with a total length of 170 cm (67 in), including a 20 cm (7.9 in). Males, at a typical weight of 30 to 75 kg
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