This rare deer, which exists on only one island, is a short-legged and bushy-tailed species. Its coarse hair is uniformly brown in adults, except for lighter patches on the throat and around the eyes. Young Bawean deer, or fawns, occasionally have a few faint spots on their coat, but these disappear quickly with age. Like other deer, the males of this species are distinguished by their antlers: bony, hornlike growths that are typically shed and regrown each year. The antlers of the Bawean deer, which are fully developed by the age of 21 months, are relatively small compared to other deer living in tropical areas.