Red Deer

The Red Deer is Britain’s largest land mammal and has red-brown fur, with a cream rump. Their fur turns more grey-brown in winter. Red Deer stags stand four feet at the shoulder, weigh up to 200kg and have branched antlers, which can have up to 16 points. They shed and re-grow their antlers every year.

For most of the year, the adult deer live separately, with females forming herds and males living in smaller bachelor groups. The rutting season begins in mid September and continues to late October, where the stags will fight for the opportunity to mate. The strongest males will mate with a number of females. Rutting stags roar to show strength and even collect vegetation on their antlers to make them appear larger to their opponents. The females normally give birth to single calves from late May to June. Calves are born with white spots to provide camouflage when left alone by their mother. On average, red deer will live up to 16 years.

Red Deer can be found in both woodland and open terrain such as moorland and open hillsides. They are herbivores and feed on a variety of grasses and shrubs, heather, tree shoots and bark.

The extinction of large carnivores in Britain, such as as bears, lynx and wolves, means Red Deer have no natural predators. As a result, the Red Deer population can reach extremely high levels. Unfortunately this has a negative impact on the environment, as over-grazing can prevent the re-generation of woodland, which has a knock-on effect on woodland flora and fauna. To reduce habitat damage some populations are culled to control them.

Scotland has roughly 70% of Britain’s Red Deer population. They are common in East Anglia, south-west England and the Lake District, with the rest of Britain having scattered populations.

Red Deer are one of only two native deer species in Britain, the other is the Roe Deer.