Reproductive Characteristics and Occurrence of Accessory Corpora Lutea in Sika Deer Cervus nippon centralis in Hyogo Prefecture, Japan

Abstract

The age at puberty, pregnancy rate and the occurrence of accessory corpora lutea (ACL) were investigated in female sika deer killed between late February and mid-March in Hyogo Prefecture. No fawns had ovulated but puberty occurred in most of yearlings. The pregnancy rate of yearlings and of older females was calculated to be over 90%. These show that the population has high reproductive performance. ACL were found in 80.7% of 57 animals that had ovulated, and females with ACL carried heavier fetuses than those without ACL.