Northward Range Expansion of Water Deer in Northeast Asia: Direct Evidence and Management Implications

Abstract

Given current anthropogenic pressures and climate change, wildlife range expansion offers a second chance for species conservation. The water deer Hydropotes inermis is a native to China and the Korean peninsula, but populations in North Korea and mainland China have declined drastically in recent years. However, the range of this species appears to be rapidly expanding northward. In this study, we employed camera traps and molecular technology to assess the status, phylogeny, and genetic ancestry of the newly recorded population. Our results showed an ongoing northward expansion of water deer, reaching at least 500 km from their historical distribution limit. We provided updated information on this species’ geographical distribution in Northeast China and the Russian Far East. Based on historical survey data before the 1990s, there had previously been no record of this species in these two regions; thus, this could be a genuine range expansion rather than simply an expansion of the known range. A genetic investigation based on mitochondrial DNA indicated that the expanding population had a close phylogenetic affinity with Korean water deer. The likely migration route and causes of the species’ distribution range expansion are discussed. We recommend revising the range of water deer in the IUCN Red List to facilitate the effective conservation and management of this threatened species, especially in new locations.

Distribution update of water deer (Hydropotes inermis) and prediction of their potential distribution in Northeast China

“…Then, Dmitry et al discovered the distribution of water deer in Mikhailovskiy district, Russia, which was thought to be the northernmost distribution of water deer in the world 61 . Combined with our previous and related recent studies concerning water deer 34,40,44,47,48,[61][62][63][64] , we believe that it is meaningful and essential to update the distribution range of water deer. Therefore, according to recent studies, we generated a new distribution map for water deer, in which Northeast China, Russia, and the Korean Peninsula were included (Fig.…”

“…The purple points reflects their distribution in Russia 47 , 48 . The black points is the distribution of water deer based on Li et al 64 . The blue areas is their distribution based on IUCN 40 .…”

“…The spread of the deer may be caused by habitat transformation under the effects of anthropogenic disturbance and climate change. In the most recent years, two studies focused on the distribution, habitat suitability, and dispersal routes of water deer among Northeast China, the far east of Russia, and the Korean Peninsula, while both were relatively lacking in the ranges of field investigation 64 , 79 . Their field investigation was lacking in Liaoning Province, China, where our results revealed that the distribution of the deer was vastest.…”