Walking gaits in Cervidae: all species of deer tend to cross-walk, as opposed to the ambling typical of many bovids
INTRODUCTION
Ruminants walk with subtle gaits, difficult to classify and name.
As good an approach as any is initially to distinguish between an amble and a semi cross-walk.
(Readers, please note: watch all the videos linked in this Post in slow motion, by adjusting the 'playback speed' to 0.5 or 0.25.)
In an amble, the hind foot is lifted only after the opposite fore is placed (watch from 40 seconds in slow motion in https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9EawG4Gu3Js).
By contrast, in a semi cross-walk, the hind foot is lifted before the opposite fore is placed (https://www.youtube.com/watch?app=desktop&v=hxkM96MYlb8).
An amble is a 'parallel gait', whereas a cross-walk is a 'diagonal gait'.
In reality, the footfall-sequence varies among species along a continuum, rather than dichotomously.
However the distinction between amble and semi cross-walk is significant because it potentially affects the balance/stability of the locomotion, as follows:
- in an amble, for most of the time there are two feet simultaneously off the ground on the same side (left or right) - which is relatively unstable in that it risks tipping to one side. whereas
- in a cross-walk, the two feet off the ground are on different sides, viz. left fore with right hind, or right fore with left hind - which is relatively stable in maintaining diagonal propping; furthermore, in the case of a semi cross-walk, two feet are off the ground simultaneously for less than half of the time.
Readers can practise distinguishing between the approximately 'parallel' walk and the approximately 'diagonal' walk by repeatedly viewing the following video clips (adjusting the playback speed to show the footfall sequence in slow motion):
- amble in Giraffa: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vh2yveXTKaU
- semi cross-walk in Strepsiceros: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rky362tL5kE
AIMS
The aim of thus Post is to show the walking gaits of as many genera and species as possible of cervids, according to the distinctions among ambling, semi cross-walking, and cross-walking.
RESULTS
Cervus elaphus
semi cross-walking:
cross-walking (on unstable substrate):https://www.dreamstime.com/red-deer-hind-crossing-stream-water-close-up-winter-image138050863
semi cross-walking in masculine strutting:
https://www.shutterstock.com/da/video/clip-1017907225-wild-red-deer-stag-walking-bright-morning
https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/red-deer-rutting-season-737170840
cross-walking (on unstable substrate):
https://www.dreamstime.com/red-deer-hind-crossing-stream-water-close-up-winter-image138050863
Cervus canadensis
semi cross-walking:
gait approaching an amble in Cervus canadensis:
Elaphurus davidianus
semi cross-walking:
https://www.naturepl.com/stock-photo-nature-image01617635.html
nearly ambling:
https://www.staffanwidstrand.se/image/I0000NS9g.SH5Xug
https://www.shutterstock.com/da/video/clip-20558605-pere-davids-deer-herd-migrate-graze-elaphurus
Dama dama
semi cross-walking:
https://www.sciencephoto.com/media/625669/view/male-fallow-deer-walking
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dBaW7gt4Z4M
https://www.shutterstock.com/da/video/clip-3399380867-lonely-little-deer-walking-forest-reserve-near
reaching the threshold of ambling, in the case of mature males, 'strutting' in rutting rivalry:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5DuKpftCyYQ
Rucervus duvaucelii duvaucelii
semi cross-walking:
https://www.shutterstock.com/da/video/clip-9660908-barasingha-buck-male-adult-lone-walking-dry
Rucervus duvaucelii branderi
a particularly clear illustration of semi cross-walking: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EBigKO906QY
Rusa unicolor
semi cross-walking:
https://www.shutterstock.com/da/video/clip-1088508487-two-sambar-deer-walking-tall-grass-chitwan
https://elements.envato.com/beautiful-male-sambar-rusa-unicolor-deer-walking-i-7B59BYH
https://www.shutterstock.com/da/video/clip-1092275273-full-shot-alert-male-sambar-deer-rusa
https://www.shutterstock.com/da/video/clip-3408587259-wide-shot-wild-male-sambar-deer-rusa
https://www.shutterstock.com/da/video/clip-1086299906-medium-shot-alert-male-sambar-deer-rusa
https://www.shutterstock.com/da/video/clip-1061061169-sambar-deer-rusa-unicolor-walking-camping-site
nearly ambling:
https://www.shutterstock.com/da/video/clip-1043561428-male-sambar-rusa-unicolor-deer-walking-forest
Axis axis
semi cross-walking:
https://www.shutterstock.com/da/video/clip-1086407951-spotted-deer-walking-by-lake-grazing-on
https://www.shutterstock.com/da/video/clip-1106064753-young-fawn-walking-family-chital-deer-axis
ambling when walking slowly and intermittently:
https://www.shutterstock.com/da/video/clip-1076048012-chital-axis-known-spotted-deer-walks-along
https://www.shutterstock.com/da/video/clip-1044612139-young-female-chital-spotted-deer-walking-fresh
Muntiacus reevesi
semi cross-walking:
Capreolus capreolus
cross-walking:
https://www.shutterstock.com/da/video/clip-1107586537-roe-deer-walking-grassy-field-on-cloudy
https://www.shutterstock.com/da/video/clip-1103477551-roe-deer-buck-walking-on-grass-leaving
https://www.shutterstock.com/da/video/clip-1083644467-roe-deer-buck-walking-away-on-meadow
Odocoileus hemionus columbianus
semi cross-walking:
https://dpa730eaqha29.cloudfront.net/myedmondsnews/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/DSC_5193.jpg
Odocoileus virginianus
semi cross-walking:
https://www.shutterstock.com/da/video/clip-1025463410-large-swamp-buck-white-tail-deer-walks-across
https://stock.adobe.com/images/walking-whitetail-deer-in-morning-sun/276397346
https://es.123rf.com/photo_32305362_deer-walking.html
https://www.fieldandstream.com/hunting/whitetail-deer-travels-200-miles/
https://dpa730eaqha29.cloudfront.net/myedmondsnews/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/DSC_5193.jpg
Blastoceros dichotomus
semi cross-walking:
Alces alces
semi-cross-walking:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VUVBr_jDBcQ
https://www.deviantart.com/nini1965/art/A-Young-Bull-Moose-Walking-in-a-Field-917220578
https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/profile-bull-moose-walking-onto-dirt-116525839
https://www.istockphoto.com/photo/bull-moose-gm1055977806-282201912
https://fineartamerica.com/featured/walking-bull-moose-randy-straka.html
https://pixels.com/featured/bull-moose-crossing-river-jack-bell.html?product=wood-print
Rangifer tarandus
semi cross-walking:
https://www.shutterstock.com/da/image-photo/sweden-beautiful-deer-midst-spring-tundra-1265271187
https://www.alamy.com/stock-photo-reindeer-walking-on-snow-83046876.html
https://www.alamy.com/reindeer-walking-on-the-road-in-norway-image339946013.html
https://www.sciencephoto.com/media/956135/view/reindeer-male-walking-across-beach-in-winter-iceland
DISCUSSION
I have found that - in contrast to bovids (Bovidae) - there is a surprising consistency in the walking gaits of deer (Cervidae).
In bovids, the tendency is that cover-dependent species semi cross-walk, whereas 'plains game' amble.
For example:
- cover-dependent bovids: https://www.istockphoto.com/video/kudu-walking-gm472607841-9062520 and https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/200510219
- 'plains game' bovid:
This is behaviourally and ecologically correlated, as follows:
- Cover-dependent bovids tend to be nocturnal, solitary, and camouflage-coloured, with eyes facing somewhat forward.
- By contrast, 'plains game' are adapted to living in the open, with diurnal habits, gregariousness, conspicuous colouration, and eyes so far on the sides of the head that they can scan behind and in front at the same time.
The pronghorn (Antilocapra americana) belongs to a different family, viz. Antilocapridae. It conforms to the 'plains game' category, and ambles accordingly (https://es.123rf.com/photo_30436381_pronghorn-antelope-p%C3%A9rez.html).
Impalas (Aepycerotini) are a particularly interesting tribe of bovids, combining a superficially deer-like appearance with multifaceted peculiarities (https://www.inaturalist.org/posts/89229-an-index-to-my-posts-about-the-impala-aepyceros-melampus#). They seem cover-dependent, but actually conform in various ways to the 'plains game'.
Accordingly, impalas consistently amble:
- Aepyceros melampus (https://www.africaimagelibrary.com/media/e65dbf22-af1f-4b33-aea2-6e62423423c9-impala-ram-aepyceros-melampus-gondwana-game-reserve-south-af and https://www.istockphoto.com/video/beautiful-and-graceful-impala-antelope-walking-in-savannah-gm932522106-255537892)
- Aepyceros petersi (https://www.alamy.com/black-faced-impala-aepyceros-melampus-petersi-male-walking-on-savanna-etosha-national-park-namibia-image396537387.html?imageid=130B7753-D07F-4AAF-B8A8-6326847D55ED&p=157727&pn=1&searchId=2cfc4de9b1aacee4e55653a80467551f&searchtype=0 and https://www.alamy.com/male-black-faced-impala-aepyceros-melampus-petersi-by-a-waterhole-etosha-national-park-namibia-with-a-marabou-stork-in-the-background-image214783551.html?imageid=C85EC920-7966-4CB3-97DA-59AF08E61176&p=564807&pn=1&searchId=2cfc4de9b1aacee4e55653a80467551f&searchtype=0 and https://www.alamy.com/stock-photo-black-faced-impala-103307129.html?imageid=59C58C12-F2FE-449E-B7D9-860AD06CF8CC&p=310217&pn=1&searchId=2cfc4de9b1aacee4e55653a80467551f&searchtype=0).
The bovid Kobus defassa is comparable in body size and shape to the cervid Cervus canadensis. However, the former sometimes ambles (https://front.motionarray.com/stock-video/common-waterbuck-walking-between-trees-1179445/ and https://www.alamy.com/stock-photo-walking-african-waterbuck-in-wild-78946808.html), whereas the latter barely achieves an amble under any circumstances:
In masculine display in the rutting season, Cervus elaphus and Cervus canadensis 'strut' by semi cross-walking, not ambling. By contrast, the corresponding gait in Dama dama is close to an amble, despite the fact that this species normally uses a semi cross-walk.