An inhabitant of the Tibetan plateau, Thorold's deer has many adaptations for this cold and harsh environment. Its brown coat consists of long, thick, coarse hairs with a fine underwool, providing much-needed warmth in winter, while the relatively short, stout legs and large, broad hooves are well suited to roaming in the rugged landscape. The summer coat is darker than the winter coat and the underparts are generally creamier in colour. The face is darker and has a distinctive white nose, lips and chin, giving rise to its other common name, the white-lipped deer. It also has long, narrow ears and large preorbital glands. Male Thorold's deer have large, showy antlers, measuring up to 140 centimetres in length.