Viral video of Philippine brown deer traced to Davao de Oro

A video showing a Philippine brown deer roaming near a forest has gone viral online, with many social media users believing that the rare animal was spotted in Bohol.

According to Kuya Kim's report in "24 Oras," the footage sparked excitement among netizens, especially because the Philippine brown deer is considered possibly extinct on Bohol Island due to habitat loss and hunting.

A review traced the footage to its original uploader, Rubiejane Pudang Agyadan, who said she recorded the video on June 17. She clarified that the video was not taken in Bohol but in the municipality of Maco, Davao de Oro.

"Feeling ko marami sa bukid nila. Kasi sa Golden Valley ko 'yun nakita sa Panamin," she said.

Rubiejane recounted that she and her companions were passing through an area called Panamin when they encountered the deer.

According to her, it was her first time seeing that kind of animal.

"Pumunta kami doon sa pananim. Nadaanan po namin yung deer, na-amaze kasi ako sa kanya. First time ko 'yun makita. Kaya bumaba ako sa sasakyan para videohan," she said.

Another resident, Jandie Bhoy Alvarez, also captured footage of the same deer on the day it was seen.

"Galing po kami ng trabaho 'non then pauwi kami may nakitang deer sa kalsada eh alam namin na hindi pumupunta sa kalsada 'yan sa kagubatan yan. Then hinintuan namin, vinideohan," he shared.

Jhonnel Villegas of the International Union for Conservation of Nature explained that Philippine brown deer naturally occur in parts of Mindanao, making the sighting in Davao de Oro unsurprising.

"Naturally mayroon talagang records ng Philippine brown deer sa Mindanao. Hindi ko lang alam kung ano talaga ang situation nito sa Davao de Oro pero naturally mailap talaga ang mga brown deer dahil sila ay wild species," Villegas said.

"Minsan naha-habituate sila ng mga nag-aalaga sa kanila kaya medyo pamilyar na sila sa tao. Kaya sumasama na din sila. Nagiging mailap lang naman sila dahil sa mga threats na nape-perceive nila," he added.

The Philippine brown deer, also known as Rusa marianna, is a species endemic to the Philippines.

It is naturally found in several islands, including Luzon, Polillo, Catanduanes, Mindoro, Marinduque, Samar, and parts of Mindanao. —Jade Veronique Yap/MGP, GMA News