The deer of Nara Park have distinct genetics that have been preserved for more than a thousand years, thanks to their protected status as sacred animals. The wild sika deer of Nara Park are considered sacred. They have been protected for a thousand years in areas around shrines, where hunting is forbidden. Recently, a study by researchers from Fukushima University found that thanks to this religious protection (and isolation), the deer in Nara Park have a unique genetic lineage that differs from