HAWAIʻI
UNGULATES
Ungulates of Hawaiʻi
Hawaiʻi range: Molokaʻi, Lānaʻi, Maui
Region of origin: India
Date of first introduction: 1867 (Molokaʻi), between 1868 to 1898 (Oʻahu), 1920 (Lānaʻi), 1959 (Maui)
Average size: Female - 45 kg, Male - 72 kg
Litter frequency: 1 litter per year
Litter size: 1 fawn (twinning rare)
Home range: Female - 13.44 ± 5.5 km , Male - 13.85 ± 4.7 km
Diet: Opportunistic grazer on vegetation
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Axis Deer (Axis axis)
References: Tomich 1986, Anderson 2003
Identifying Markers
Physical Appearance: Reddish-brown coat with white spots year-round, a long tail with white underside (raised when alarmed), and slightly smaller ears than Black-tailed Deer.
Tracks: 2–3 inche long, broad, heart-shaped hoof-prints with slight splay, demonstrating walking or bounding patterns.
Scat: Small, dark brown or black, rounded pellets, tightly clustered piles, often found in open grassy areas and mixed forest edges.
Feeding Signs: Feeds on a wide variety of grasses, crops, shrubs, with a browsing height up to 4–4.5 feet, and similar clean twig snipping as Black-tailed Deer (45 degree angled snips), but more generalist feeding behavior.
Environmental Impacts
Axis deer in Hawaiʻi, found on islands like Maui, Lānaʻi, and Hawaiʻi Island, cause widespread environmental damage due to their large herds, rapid population growth, and broad diet. Unlike the more selective black-tailed deer, axis deer graze and browse, leading to overgrazing, soil erosion, and sediment runoff that harms watersheds and reefs. They also damage crops, compete with livestock, and outcompete native species, making them a serious threat to both ecosystems and agriculture.