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Red deer: the story on HearLore | HearLore
Red deer
The red deer stands as the fourth-largest extant deer species, surpassed only by the moose, elk, and sambar deer, yet it holds a unique distinction as the largest non-domesticated land mammal still existing in Ireland. This massive hoofed mammal, scientifically known as Cervus elaphus, inhabits a vast range stretching across most of Europe, the Caucasus Mountains, Anatolia, Iran, and parts of Western Asia. Its presence extends even to the Atlas Mountains of Northern Africa, making it the only living species of deer to inhabit that continent. While the species has been introduced to distant lands including Australia, New Zealand, and various South American countries, its native history traces back to central Asia, where its ancestors likely originated hundreds of thousands of years ago. Genetic evidence suggests that what was once considered a single species is actually a complex group, with the exact number of distinct species remaining a subject of scientific dispute. The red deer is a ruminant, possessing a four-chambered stomach that allows it to digest food in two stages, a trait it shares with camels, goats, and cattle. European red deer are notable for having a relatively long tail compared to their Asian and North American relatives, and subtle differences in appearance distinguish the various subspecies, ranging from the tiny Corsican red deer to the massive Caspian red deer of Asia Minor.
Antlers And The Neck Mane
Only the male red deer, known as stags or harts, grow antlers, which begin their growth in the spring and are shed each year, typically at the end of winter. These bony structures can measure up to 1.5 meters in total length and weigh as much as 18 kilograms, growing at an astonishing rate of 2.5 centimeters per day while covered in highly vascular skin called velvet. As the stag's testosterone levels drop in the autumn, the velvet is shed, the antlers calcify, and the stags' testosterone production builds for the approaching rut. European red deer antlers are distinctive for being rather straight and rugose, with the fourth and fifth tines forming a crown or cup in larger males. Any tines in excess of the fourth and fifth grow radially from the cup, a feature generally absent in smaller red deer like the Corsican subspecies. Western European red deer antlers feature bez tines that are either absent or smaller than the brow tines, whereas bez tines occur frequently in Norwegian red deer. The Caspian red deer carries large bez tines and forms less-developed cups, making their antlers more like the throw-back top tines of the North American elk. In exceptional cases, a stag can have antlers with no tines, known as a switch, or a stag that does not grow antlers is called a hummel. Beyond the antlers, many male subspecies grow a short neck mane during the autumn, with the thickest and most noticeable manes found in the British Isles and Norway. Male Caspian red deer and Spanish red deer do not carry neck manes, though all male subspecies possess stronger and thicker neck muscles than females, which may give them the appearance of having manes.
What is the scientific name of the red deer species?
The scientific name of the red deer is Cervus elaphus. This species is the fourth-largest extant deer and the largest non-domesticated land mammal still existing in Ireland.
When do red deer antlers begin to grow and how fast do they grow?
Red deer antlers begin their growth in the spring and grow at an astonishing rate of 2.5 centimeters per day. These bony structures can measure up to 1.5 meters in total length and weigh as much as 18 kilograms.
How long does the gestation period last for red deer offspring?
The gestation period for red deer is 240 to 262 days. The offspring weigh about 3.5 kilograms at birth and are fully weaned after two months.
Where are red deer populations thriving in France and when did they increase?
The red deer population in France is thriving and has multiplied five-fold in the last half-century. The population increased from 30,000 in 1970 to around 160,000 in 2014.
When were the first red deer introduced to New Zealand and how many were released?
The first red deer to reach New Zealand were sent by Lord Petre in 1851, though the hind was shot before breeding. Between 1851 and 1926, 220 separate liberations of red deer involved over 800 deer.
How many years do red deer live in the wild compared to captivity?
Red deer live over 20 years in captivity and in the wild they live 10 to 13 years. Some subspecies with less predation pressure average 15 years.
During the mating season known as the rut, mature stags compete fiercely for the attentions of hinds, challenging rivals by belling and walking in parallel to assess each other's antlers, body size, and fighting prowess. If neither stag backs down, a clash of antlers can occur, and stags sometimes sustain serious injuries, yet red deer are among the mammals exhibiting homosexual behavior. Dominant stags urinate on themselves and follow groups of hinds during the rut, from August into early winter, potentially holding as many as 20 hinds to keep from other, less attractive males. Breeding success peaks at about eight years of age, while stags two to four years old and those over 11 years old rarely hold harems, spending most of the rut on the periphery of larger groups. Harem-holding stags rarely feed and lose up to 20% of their body weight, meaning those entering the rut in poor condition are less likely to make it through to the peak conception period. Male European red deer have a distinctive roar during the rut, an adaptation to forested environments, in contrast to male American elk stags which bugle during the rut in adaptation to open environments. The male deer roars to keep his harem of females together, and females are initially attracted to those males that both roar most often and have the loudest roar call. Roaring is most common during the early dawn and late evening, which is also when the crepuscular deer are most active in general. This vocal communication serves as a method used by the males to establish dominance alongside other forms of posturing and antler fights.
Migration And Survival
Red deer in Europe generally spend their winters at lower altitudes in more wooded terrain, migrating to higher elevations during the summer where food supplies are greater and better for the calving season. After the rut, females form large herds of up to 50 individuals, keeping newborn calves close by a series of vocalizations, with larger nurseries maintaining an ongoing and constant chatter during the daytime hours. When approached by predators, the largest and most robust females may make a stand, using their front legs to kick at their attackers, while guttural grunts and posturing are used with all but the most determined of predators. Aside from humans and domestic dogs, the grey wolf is probably the most dangerous predator European red deer encounter, with the brown bear occasionally preying on them as well. Male red deer retain their antlers for more than half the year and are less gregarious and less likely to group with other males when they have antlers. Once the antlers are shed, stags tend to form bachelor groups which allow them to cooperatively work together. Herds tend to have one or more members watching for potential danger while the remaining members eat and rest. Female red deer reach sexual maturity at 2 years of age, and mating patterns usually involve a dozen or more mating attempts before the first successful one. The gestation period is 240 to 262 days, and the offspring weigh about 3.5 kilograms. After two weeks, calves are able to join the herd and are fully weaned after two months, remaining with their mothers for almost one full year before leaving around the time the next season's offspring are produced. Red deer live over 20 years in captivity and in the wild they live 10 to 13 years, though some subspecies with less predation pressure average 15 years.
The European Population Boom
Although at one time red deer were rare in parts of Europe, they were never close to extinction, and reintroduction and conservation efforts have resulted in an increase of red deer populations in countries like the United Kingdom and Portugal. In France, the population is thriving, having multiplied five-fold in the last half-century, increasing from 30,000 in 1970 to around 160,000 in 2014, with the deer expanding its footprint into forests at higher altitudes than before. In the Netherlands, a large herd of about 3,000 animals was counted in late 2012 living in the Oostvaardersplassen nature reserve. In the UK, indigenous populations occur in Scotland, the Lake District, and the south west of England, principally on Exmoor, though not all of these are of entirely pure bloodlines as some populations have been supplemented with deliberate releases of deer from parks such as Warnham or Woburn Abbey. The University of Edinburgh found that in Scotland, extensive hybridisation with the closely related sika deer has occurred. Several other populations have originated with carted deer kept for stag hunts being left out at the end of the hunt, escapes from deer farms, or deliberate releases. A census of deer populations in 2007 and again in 2011 coordinated by the British Deer Society records the red deer as having continued to expand their range in England and Wales since 2000, with expansion most notable in the Midlands and East Anglia. Conversely, in North Africa, the Barbary stag, which resembles the western European red deer, is the only living member of the deer family native to Africa, with the population centred in the northwestern region of the continent in the Atlas Mountains, and as of the mid-1990s, Morocco, Tunisia, and Algeria were the only African countries known to have red deer.
The New World Invasion
In New Zealand, red deer were introduced by acclimatisation societies along with other deer and game species, with the first red deer to reach the country being a pair sent by Lord Petre in 1851 from his herd at Thorndon Park, Essex, to the South Island, though the hind was shot before they had a chance to breed. Lord Petre sent another stag and two hinds in 1861, and these were liberated near Nelson, from where they quickly spread, followed by further releases up to 1914. Between 1851 and 1926, 220 separate liberations of red deer involved over 800 deer, and in 1927, the State Forest Service introduced a bounty for red deer shot on their land. Between 1931 and March 1975, 1,124,297 deer were killed on official operations, as the introduced red deer adapted well and are widely hunted on both islands. Some hybridisation happened with the closely related American elk introduced in Fiordland in 1921, and along with other introduced deer species, they are officially regarded as a noxious pest and are still heavily culled using professional hunters working with helicopters or even poisoned. The first red deer to reach Australia were probably the six that Prince Albert sent in 1860 from Windsor Great Park to Thomas Chirnside, who was starting a herd at Werribee Park, south west of Melbourne in Victoria. Today, red deer in Australia range from Queensland south through New South Wales into Victoria and across to South Australia, with numbers increasing, though South Australia's population is now largely recent farm escapees. Wild red deer are a feral pest species in Australia, do considerable harm to the natural environment, and are a significant road traffic hazard. In Argentina and Chile, the red deer has had a potentially adverse impact on native animal species, such as the South Andean deer or huemul, and the International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources has labelled the animal as one of the world's 100 worst invaders.