Metro Manila, Philippines – The Philippine deer, presumed extinct for decades, has been spotted akin a number of towns in Marinduque, environment officials in the Mimaropa region reported on Friday, March 20.
The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) Mimaropa said multiple sightings of the Philippine deer, also known as the Philippine brown deer or “usa,” have been documented since 2025 across the Marinduque Wildlife Sanctuary.
The regional office said Barangay Makulapnit in Sta. Cruz town recorded at least 10 deers, making the area a key habitat for the animal.
It said the continued presence was confirmed through biodiversity monitoring system activities, camera trap installations in Barangay Malibago, Torrijos and Barangay Makulapnit, Sta. Cruz, and strengthened communication, education, and public awareness campaigns.
Additional signs, including footprints, were also observed in Boac and nearby areas.
“The reappearance of the Philippine deer in Marinduque stands as both a conservation milestone and a call to action—demonstrating that while recovery is possible, sustained partnership is essential to ensure its long-term survival,” the DENR Mimaropa said.
In 2015, the Philippine deer was listed as a vulnerable species, with a declining population, according to the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).
The DENR Mimaropa said threats persist for the conservation of the Philippine deer. Several cases of deer mortality linked to illegal hunting, poaching, and attacks by wild dogs have been recorded in different villages.
It said that a female deer in the Balagbag Mountain Range was reported to have survived an attack by wild dogs in late December.
Following the incident, authorities had to conduct immediate response, strengthen its coordination with provincial veterinarians, and intensify their awareness campaigns regarding the compliance of the Wildlife Resources Conservation and Protection Act.
Scientists from the University of the Philippines Los Baños have proposed to assess the population status of the Philippine deer and provide data in a bid to create long-term conservation and management strategies, according to the DENR Mimaropa.
The Philippine deer is among the endemic deer species.
The Philippine spotted deer, or the Visayan deer, is endemic to the Negros-Panay region, while the Calamian deer and the Philippine mouse-deer, locally known as “pilandok,” are native species in Palawan. All three are listed as endangered by the IUCN.
