Maybe nature really is healing! Following the recent spotting of a near-endangered Filipino warty pig on Mount Apo, another one of the Philippines’ rarest endemic species, the Visayan spotted deer, known scientifically as Rusa alfredi, was recently spotted in the wild.
Inverts PH, a Facebook page that describes itself as “just a random Pinoy who loves nature,” posted photos of the deer after reportedly encountering the creature during a trip to a nature reserve that works to conserve the Visayan spotted deer and other endangered local species (he did not indicate exactly where he spotted the deer, presumably for its protection).
The page described the deer as “truly majestic,” and clarified that they did not interact with the animal.
The Visayan spotted deer is a nocturnal and endangered deer endemic to the rainforests of Panay and Negros islands. It is one of three species of deer identified in the Philippines.
The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) lists the Visayan spotted deer as endangered, with a mature population of less than 2,500. It is estimated that only 300 of the animals still survive on the island of Negros.
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