Call of the wild

A Chinese totem

The milu, which is often referred to in China by its ancient name, the "four dislikes", because of its body features which resemble a combination of four other animals (the cow, deer, camel and horse), is a species of deer that's recognizable by its unique, rear-facing antlers.

The species is often depicted as a mount in mythology and was believed to be a sign of auspiciousness and symbol for imperial power in ancient China.

"The milu has a long history and has always played an important role in traditional Chinese culture," says Guo Geng, curator of the Nanhaizi Milu Park Museum in Beijing.

The milu was mentioned in early inscriptions on ancient oracle bones, and records about their habitat, distribution, behavior, hunting and uses have appeared in more than 100 historical works since the Han Dynasty (202 BC-AD 220), according to Guo.

While more than a million milu roamed China's wetlands 3,000 years ago, their numbers fell dramatically due to overhunting and the shrinking of nature habitats as the human population grew, especially after the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644).

A herd of about 200 milu - believed to be the last one in the world at that time - was kept at the Nanhaizi Imperial Hunting Lodge near Beijing in the 19th century.