The white-lipped deer lives in high country of the Tibetan Plateau. White markings around the muzzle and throat and broad hooves are distinctive.
White markings surround the muzzle, eyes and throat, while the coat is dark brown. Broad hooves help it move over rocky ground.
Thorold’s deer is a large deer of the Qinghai–Tibet Plateau. In Jiacha Gorge along the Yarlung Zangbo River in Tibet, researchers placed infrared cameras in forest habitat and recorded wildlife from February 2020 to January 2022. The survey produced 24,096 effective photos and 827 videos of the deer.
Daily detections were highest from 7–11 a.m. and 5–10 p.m.; annual peaks occurred in April–June and September–November, especially in May and October. From July through January, deer mostly formed mixed-sex groups, while same-sex groups were common in other months. After breeding, cameras also recorded females with dependent young. The occupancy model estimated site use at or near 0.5 or higher, with greater use at higher and greener sites.
An extinction-risk assessment has not been added yet.
Camera detection varied by season: it increased with elevation in spring and was lower at greener sites in summer. The analysis modeled site use separately from camera detection.