The editors of Rowland Ward Ltd are pleased to announce they have established a new category for Rowland Ward’s Records of Big Game: rusa deer from Mauritius. Although rusa deer were not originally found on this island, a one-time Dutch possession, they were introduced in 1639 by then-governor Adrian Van Der Stel. This is very likely the oldest transplanted population of rusa deer in the world and marks one of the very first times large game animals were purposely introduced to a new area. A healthy population exists in several reserves on Mauritius; so far, mostly Europeans have hunted here. This great stag, which has a main beam in the mid-30-inch range, was recently entered in Rowland Ward’s Records of Big Game. We are pleased to receive it and hope many more will follow.
