Times News Network / S Nandagopal

Mangalore, Nov 1: There is a new guest to the Dr Shivarama Karanth Pilikula Nisarga Dhama on the outskirts of the city. The playful foal, a welcome Diwali gift, is the latest attraction of the biological park.

Experts also believe that it is perhaps the first Barking Deer to have given birth in captivity in the entire south India. The deer couple was brought to the park about a year ago and has been housed in an enclosure with grass.

The newly born Barking Deer with his mother at Pilikula Biological Park

Belonging to the Muntiacus Muntjak species, these animals are found in evergreen rain forests with moderate temperatures and are found in Western Ghats and the ranges in the North Eastern states. They are also one of the attractions of the Periyar national park in Kerala.

The Barking Deer is noted for barking like dogs when disturbed and during the breeding season, and for having tiny antlers and strong canines. Barking Deer are also called the Indian Muntjac, a rare species which is fast dwindling in numbers, according to H J Bhandary, director of the park. They are very shy and sensitive animals, unlike the other deer breed.