Seeking deer photographs for 'A Guide to the Deer of the World'

Nature Talk
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I do hope that this is posted in the right place (please remove it if not) but I am seeking the help of the iNaturalist community.

I am writing a general reference book A Guide to the Deer of the World, to be published in 2022 in the UK by Quiller Publishing. This is a very exciting project as, to my knowledge, the last fully comprehensive English language work was GK Whitehead’s 1971 Deer of the World. It will cover all cervids, musk deer and chevrotains, and I am using the IUCN listings as a baseline because of ongoing uncertainties over classification in some cases. The publisher is encouraging me to illustrate it as widely as I can.

Most species will be covered with a background text, an extensive fact box wherever possible (covering description, ecology, conservation status, threats etc), and a distribution map (courtesy of the IUCN, who have already been very supportive), though I am dealing with some of the less well documented brockets and muntjacs, as well as the musk deer and chevrotains, in inclusive chapters.
Sourcing photographs of some species is, however, proving to be a serious challenge. I have already received some very generous assistance from iNaturalist members but am still hunting for the following. In most cases all I need is a single photograph of a typical specimen unless noted otherwise:

Small red brocket Mazama bororo
Northern pudu Pudu mephistophiles (several pictures if possible)
Leaf muntjac Muntiacus putaoensis (several pictures if possible)
Gongshan muntjac Muntiacus gongshanensis
Roosevelt’s muntjac Muntiacus rooseveltorum
Anhui musk deer Moschus anhuiensis
Kashmir musk deer Moschus cupreus
Black musk deer Moschus fuscus
Williamson’s chevrotain Tragulus williamsoni (given the taxonomical status, a picture of a museum skin would be quite acceptable)

I am afraid that, as the publication is only for a relatively limited market, I have no funding available but full photographic credit will, of course be given.

If you are able to help please message me or email gcsmithjones@outlook.com

Many thanks, Charles

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I’ve found some observations of the species you’ve requested, if they work, that’s great:

https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/37793109

Several great observations of this species: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations?taxon_id=42178

I found a picture here, but you’d probably want an expert to confirm it: https://alchetron.com/Williamson’s-mouse-deer

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Unfortunately, eight of the eleven species you list have no observations on iNaturalist. The ones that do are the Dwarf Brocket, Lesser Brocket (or Pygmy Brocket) and Northern Pudu.

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Many thanks zdanko - I am hoping that the owners of the M. chunyi and nana pictures will agree to me using them (replies awaited). It would be interesting to see if the Williamson’s chevrotain picture can be verified

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Thanks rguy321. I have approached the owners of some dwarf & lesser brocket pictures separately, but sadly the northern pudu pictures are not distinct enough for publication purposes (although they clearly do show the species). For those without observations on iNaturalist I have my fingers crossed that someone may still have access to pictures …

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I don’t know how much you know about copyright, but unless someone has retained all rights over their image, then you can use it without needing to ask them, with restrictions.

The most common copyright license used on iNat is CC BY-NC, which means that you must attribute the image to the observer, and that you cannot use the image for commercial purposes. If it’s just CC-BY, then you only need to credit them.

In your case, I assume this is for profit, so CC-BY is the only license that will be used on images that are available to you. All others you will have to request directly from the observer, as I’m assuming you were going to do anyway.

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And @rguy321 Welcome to the Forum! Unfortunately, I only have photos of White Tailed Deer.

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I believe you can use CC-BY-NC images in commercial products with special permission (which I would get in writing at least electronically)? I did a little looking into that when I licensed some of my images CC-BY-NC, because I want people to be able to use them in a (commercial) field guide with permission, but I didn’t want them to be used to advertise a commercial product without my approval (specifically, for my invertebrate images, pest removal). If I’m incorrect or need to take specific steps if someone approaches me to make sure they are safe using the image, I would definitely appreciate knowing - I want to do the best thing!

EDIT: I fail at reading comprehension. You said “all others you will have to request directly from the observer.” So you did cover that!

Many people do seem to like to request even if no permission is required. But it definitely isn’t legally necessary and you don’t need to wait for permission to proceed if the license permits your use. You never know when you will make someone’s day or even get access to a higher resolution version of the image, though!

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Muntjacs?
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/51392910

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Many thanks for such quick responses! I have been able to remove a couple of species from the ‘wanted’ list on my opening post already thanks to the generosity of iNaturalist members, and your comments on copyright are very useful. I am anxious not to use anything without the picture owner’s permission so will always wait to receive it in any case.

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That is the gracious, and I think professional approach. I have always been happy to give my blessing, even though my licenses already do. And when the publication comes out, I am happy to get a notification so that I can enjoy the reflected glory!

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Progress update - :I am immensely grateful to the iNaturalist members who have so generously provided their photographs so far - the list is now down to the following if anyone can help:

Taruca Hippocamelus antisensis (antlered male needed)
Huemul Hippocamelus bisulcus (female/young needed, preferably in natural setting)
Northern pudu Pudu mephistophiles (I have one image but a second would be a real bonus)
Leaf muntjac Muntiacus putaoensis
Gongshan muntjac Muntiacus gongshanensis
Anhui musk deer Moschus anhuiensis
Forest musk deer Moschus berezovskii
Alpine musk deer Moschus chrysogaster
Kashmir musk deer Moschus cupreus
Black musk deer Moschus fuscus
Himalayan musk deer Moschus leucogaster
Williamson’s chevrotain Tragulus williamsoni (given the taxonomical status, a picture of a museum skin would be quite acceptable)

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My search for photographs for ‘A Guide to the Deer of the World’ is almost complete thanks much to the generosity of iNaturalist members - my sincere gratitude goes to all who have provided images. I am now down to just a handful still needed. Anything (camera trap images etc) would be useful, and the quality does not need to be perfect. The outstanding species are:

Leaf muntjac Muntiacus putaoensis – northern India & Myanmar
Anhui musk deer Moschus anhuiensis – China
Kashmir musk deer Moschus cupreus – Afghanistan, India & Pakistan
Black musk deer Moschus fuscus - Bhutan, China, India, Myanmar & Nepal
Himalayan musk deer Moschus leucogaster - Bhutan, China, India & Nepal (I been promised an image but still await it)

If you are able to help (or know anyone who might) I would be very grateful if you could get in touch. My email address is gcsmithjones@outlook.com

Very many thanks in anticipation

Charles Smith-Jones

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Over the past months you may have been aware that I have been actively seeking photographs of the true deer, musk deer and chevrotains for my forthcoming book A Guide to the Deer of the World. I am very pleased to say that all of the main species, and a substantial number of their subspecies, are now represented. A number of iNaturalist members have contributed their images, and I am immensely grateful for their generosity.

Only one species still frustrates and eludes me, the Endangered Anhui musk deer Moschus anhuiensis which is found only in the Mount Dabie region of Anhui Province, China in very low numbers, so I am making a final effort to source a photograph. The quality need not be perfect as long as the animal is recognisable, and even a good trail camera image or a useable picture of a museum specimen would be appreciated.

If you are able to help me I would be delighted to make a personal donation to the wildlife organisation or charity of your choice, or perhaps you might be able to refer me to someone who can. Sadly my emails to institutions which may have been involved in studies of the Anhui musk deer have failed to get any response, so if you are in contact with any researchers or wildlife reserves with links to Anhui perhaps you might also be prepared to pass this request on.

I do hope that someone will be able to assist me in making the Guide a truly complete record of the Cervidae, Moschidae and Tragulidae as we know them today.

Yours in hope

Charles Smith-Jones
gcsmithjones@outlook.com

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Would any of these work?

https://www.google.com/search?q=Anhui+musk+deer&tbm=isch&source=hp&biw=1308&bih=833&ei=26FhYcmgBZO10PEP6riVuAI&ved=0ahUKEwiJ-uT_v73zAhWTGjQIHWpcBScQ4dUDCAY&oq=Anhui+musk+deer&gs_lcp=CgNpbWcQDDIFCAAQgARQ4RlY4RlgmXRoAXAAeACAAUuIAUuSAQExmAEAoAECoAEBqgELZ3dzLXdpei1pbWewAQA&sclient=img#imgrc=I7CmiiVueiXbcM

Perhaps a sketch? Along with an informative article, There is some public domain art images here:

https://wizzley.com/anhui-musk-deer-moschus-anhuiensis-chinese-species-endemic-to-anhui-and-possibly-hubei-province/

https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/19080382#page/133/mode/1up

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Many thanks teellbee - sadly there are no verified images and most of those labelled Anhui actually appear to be Siberian musk deer. One of them is actually a water deer! I shall keep searching but suspect that this is the one species which will elude me.

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