In the East Dongting Lake Nature Reserve, milu deer, an endangered species native to China, have recently entered breeding season, leading to a "king of the deer" duel between two male stags vying for mating rights.

The reigning stag, identified by its antlers, is around six or seven years old. It has attached branches and weeds to its antlers, making itself appear even more imposing.
The challenger stag, one to two years younger, engaged in a fierce antler battle with the "king." The two stags charged at each other and clashed their antlers, trying to throw each other off-balance. With the challenger suffering severe injuries, the reigning stag managed to maintain its position as the victor.
Notably, the king stag wore a collar around its neck, which is a BeiDou Satellite positioning device, allowing researchers to track it more efficiently. According to experts, the collar indicates that this stag was introduced from a captive breeding population elsewhere. Its success in the competition demonstrates that the deer once in captivity have been nicely rewilded.
Milu deer, also known as Pere David's deer, is an endangered species under first-class protection in China. Due to climate changes and human hunting, the species was once domestically extinct in the Qing Dynasty. In 1985, China re-introduced milu deer from overseas and initiated conservation projects, promoting the rewilding of captive populations in nature reserves. By the end of 2024, the milu deer population reached over 14,000 individuals nationwide. The Dongting Lake population is the most successful in terms of rewilding, with hundreds of deer now living in the area.