Muntjac fraying - at chest height?!

[monkeyrepublic]

Dear WAB folk,

I came across some fraying on a tree branch just below chest height. It's got to be muntjac - I know that there's a good population in the locality. But can they really do it that high?

Monkeyrepulic

[Farplace]

How about roe deer?

[The Woodman]

I would doubt it's Muntjac at that height.

As Farplace has suggested Roe, I would concur. They are fraying down to almost ground level here. It depends on the chosen tree/sapling/plant and its

There is a single small Blackthorn sucker growing in the middle of a track near me which has been frayed to ground level. I can see the buck from my window but it's just too far to see him in action.

[monkeyrepublic]

Thanks for your expertise, guys. Never imagined such large animals might be living wild hereabouts. Tho I read they're on the rise in the burbs. Will watch for tracks.

[RobinP]

Muntjac can get up quite high on their back legs, I've seen them having a go at my apple trees so 4' 6" (my chest height) is within their reach.

Robin

[The Woodman]

Robin
Won't they be browsing when they are at your apple trees? They have long tongues and like goats, reach for the highest leaves. I wonder if the fraying is in fact bark browsing, they do this too.

Fraying is an activity that rids the antlers of their velvet covering and is usually done with the animal standing on all four feet with its head down.

Thrashing is a territorial activity where the buck beats the hell out of a sapling.

Here's what it says in the 4th Mammal handbook...
"Fraying of bark on saplings not easily distinguished from roe der damage but occurs at low level c.10-40 cms above ground level.....Mostly done by lower inscicor teeth or tusks, occassionaly when cleaning velvet.
Browse line c.96cm but can reach to c.114cm by standing on hind legs."

"Velvet is cleaned from August to September with a median date of Sept 14."
That might give a clue as to the activity, too.

[RobinP]

Oops, didn't read thread properly yes the Muntjac fraying is at a much lower level, sorry.

Robin