Myanmar's environment and forestry authorities have urged the public to join a drive for saving rare golden deer from extinction in the wake of threat from hunters, official media reported Friday.

There are more than 1,000 Myanmar golden deer accommodated in the Chatthin Wildlife Sanctuary, 3 km west of the Chatthin village in Kanbalu township in Mandalay region, and such deer can be seen only in Myanmar around the world.

In the 26,000-hectare reserved forest plot, there lies also 28 villages with about 4,000 households.

Some golden deer were reportedly killed by local hunters.

Although there were about 3,000 golden deer in 1995, the number has declined significantly due to deaths of natural causes and human threat. The killing of golden deer by hunters has brought about a 30 percent drop of the number of the wildlife animal.

Myanmar golden deer is about 1.5 meters tall and has an average lifespan of 20 years.

Apart from the golden deer housed in the sanctuary, 360 other mammal species, 1,235 bird species and 360 reptile species are identified and protected, the report added.

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