the père david's deer is endemic to the chinese region. according to fossil records, the species first appeared during the pleistocene period, when it could be found anywhere in the manchuria. this demography changed during the holocene period; during this time, the species could only be found in the swamp lands and wetlands of southern china. due to hunting and land reclamation, the demography of the père david's deer became even smaller. by 1939, the last of the wild species were shot and killed.