Where does the European fallow deer live?
The European fallow deer is native to Eurasia: historically to Turkey, and possibly the Italian Peninsula, the Balkan Peninsula and the island of Rhodes. During the Pleistocene it inhabited much of Europe, and humans have reintroduced it to its prehistoric distribution. It has also been introduced to other regions of the world. Before the last glacial period, 130-115,000 years ago, it was widely distributed over Europe, as far north as the British Isles.
What does the European fallow deer eat?
The male is known as a buck, the female as a doe, and the young as a fawn. The buck carries large, flat, palmate antlers. It is a rather large animal. Adult bucks are 140 to 160 cm long, 85 to 95 cm at the shoulder, and typically 60 to 100 kg, while does are 130 to 150 cm long and weigh 30 to 50 kg. Fawns are born in spring at around 30 cm and weigh about 3 to 4 kg.
Is the European fallow deer endangered?
No: the IUCN lists it as Least Concern. Sizes vary by region: in southern England, bucks average 66.1 kg and does 45.2 kg. The largest bucks in the world may be 190 cm long and weigh 150 kg.
