Secret city Milu Park

Now living happily in China, the deer in this park survived through the efforts of an English aristocrat

Nanhaizi was the traditional hunting ground for emperors in the Yuan, Ming and Qing dynasties.

Deer were so heavily hunted that it was feared they had all but disappeared. In 1865, however, when French missionary Père Armand David discovered a species of deer that still populated the area and had some transported to Europe, the species subsequently became known as Beijing David’s deer.

The beginning of the 20th century saw war ravage the region,effectively rendering the deer extinct in China, but the species remained in the UK, where the 11th Duke of Bedford rescued the remaining 18 deer, and let them continue to live in the grounds of his manor.

In the 1980s, through the joint efforts of China and the UK, the Beijing David’s deer were reintroduced to Nanhaizi, where their population has grown from 38 to over 150 since 1985.

In the pretty surroundings of Daxing county the deer continues to flourish, and the park offers an excellent nature retreat, with ecological tours of the area and an outdoor museum.

Milun Park Nanhaizi, Daxing country (8796 2107; www.milupark.org.cn). Take bus 729 from Qianmen subway stop to Jiugong and change to minibus no 4. 麋鹿苑博物馆, 大兴区南海子麋 鹿苑.