Sambar deer live in lowland dry forests and mountain forests. They have a coarse brown coat with lighter hair on their undersides and a white tail used for signaling. Males are larger, with a mane and antlers up to 100 cm that are periodically shed. Females live in small herds, while males are solitary. They feed on leaves, grasses, berries, and fallen fruits, aiding seed dispersal. With no fixed breeding season, gestation lasts 9 months, and females usually birth one fawn. Fawns stay with their mothers for 1-2 years. Males are aggressive during mating season.