Let's start the description of the animal fallow deer with encyclopedic data. The fallow deer (Dama dama Linnaeus) is a beautiful deer belonging to the genus of true, or red, deer. This is a relatively small animal. The weight of males does not exceed 100 kilograms with a body length of 130-140 centimeters and a height at the withers of less than one meter.
Fallow deer can often be seen in parks and gardens in many European countries. Where they are not hunted, fallow deer become very trusting of humans. But in the wild and hunting grounds, fallow deer are no less careful animals than any other representatives of this family. Currently, there are two types of fallow deer: European (Dama dama) and Iranian (Dama mesopotamica), living in Asia Minor. Description of the animal Iranian fallow deer: it is larger and lighter in color than the European fallow deer. It is also called the Persian or Mesopotamian fallow deer.
These animals lead a herd lifestyle; their groups can reach up to hundreds of individuals at a time. As with other deer species, such large groups consist mainly of females and young animals. Males, on the other hand, stay separately for most of the year in the company of animals of the same age or alone. In the wild, these graceful ungulates have a red-fawn coat with numerous white spots on the sides, arranged in longitudinal rows that almost merge into lines. And the underbelly and inner sides of the legs are white. However, due to the fact that these deer have been bred under human control for centuries, completely unusual color forms have appeared - from dark chocolate to almost black. White or fawn-cream deer also look interesting. The fiery red doe is no less beautiful.
The main decoration of the males of these mammals are their magnificent antlers, which are completely different in shape from other types of deer. The apex of each horn is expanded into flattened “lobes” with numerous processes. Below the “blade” there are 2 or 3 more branches of the horn. With age they become more and more perfect. Therefore, the tournament weapons of male fallow deer are unique and rightfully occupy a special place in the gallery of hunting trophies.
Range of fallow deer.
The historical homeland of the fallow deer is the region of Mesopotamia - in the area between the Euphrates and Tigris rivers. In ancient times, in place of the desert landscapes of modern Iraq, there was a different climate, then the lands of Mesopotamia were covered with subtropical forests. Today, from the surviving remnants of forests in the foothills and mountainous regions of Southern Iran and Northern Iraq, one can judge the characteristic habitats of the Persian fallow deer. During the heyday of the Roman Empire, the first fallow deer were exported from Mesopotamia, whose descendants later found a new homeland in the Mediterranean lands. But it was not only Great Rome that contributed to the appearance of fallow deer in new lands. There is documented evidence that the pharaohs of Ancient Egypt made successful experiments in settling this deer on the northern coast of Africa.
In the 20th century, fallow deer became a common species of game animal in many countries. The northern countries of Europe were no exception: Norway, Sweden and Russia. There are especially many fallow deer in the UK. These graceful deer also breed successfully in North America, especially in areas of the southeastern United States. The fallow deer has taken root in South America - in Chile and Argentina. They also thrive in the forests of New Zealand, Australia and Tasmania. Thanks to artificial resettlement, the fallow deer has occupied a wide distribution area. This species lives in 36 countries on five continents. At the same time, animals demonstrate good adaptation to existence in various conditions - from the tropics to moderately cold climates. Perhaps the only factor limiting its migration to the north is the depth of the snow cover. This is associated with failures of acclimatization in a number of places, for example, in the northern regions of Russia and the countries of Scandinavia.
In suitable areas, the favorite habitats of fallow deer are mainly lowland and foothill deciduous forests, interspersed with clearings. Small forest areas are sufficient for them. The disadvantage of keeping a fallow deer is that even in the mild Western European climate it must be fed and protected from predators. Constant human care allows us to maintain a high density of this species almost everywhere.
Life activity of a fallow deer.
Talking about the description of the fallow deer, we will continue with the lifestyle of this animal. The fallow deer, due to its southern origin, has a somewhat later start to breeding compared to other European, Asian and American deer species. Hunting for the “roar” begins almost a month later than for other species of red deer. At the same time, nature made sure that the fallow deer's cubs (the female gives birth to one or two) become independent as quickly as possible.
The main peak of tournament fights between males occurs in the middle - end of October and lasts about a month. It involves males 4-5 years old and older. Males, like females, reach sexual maturity at two years of age. Tournament fights of male fallow deer are not cruel and noisy, but this does not make them any less interesting. They are also characterized by uncompromising combat. With all this, the fallow deer does not harm the enemy with its horns. Dangerous interlocking of horns in fallow deer bulls occurs extremely rarely, and if it does happen, it is due to the ugliness of the antlers of one of the males.
During the rut, males are constantly excited and active, which brings the excitement inherent in real hunting and the opportunity to choose a worthy trophy. A characteristic feature of male fallow deer is a special manner of “roaring”. Bulls emit a kind of roar or bark, while stretching their necks and jerking their heads sharply from bottom to top. The lifespan of fallow deer is about 20 - 25 years. In captivity, a documented life expectancy of 33 years.
As a hunting trophy, the fallow deer is common among Western European hunters. Breeding work has been carried out in the Czech Republic and Slovakia for a long time. These countries are rightfully proud of their trophy fallow deer. In these countries there are also hunting farms specializing in fallow deer color forms.
Describing the animal fallow deer, let's talk about its domestic prospects. In Russia, conditions were not the most suitable for fallow deer: harsh climate and deep snow. However, in the southern regions this ungulate could become a background species, like the roe deer. The natural conditions of southern forests in many places are simply created for this species, including in the steppe zone with artificial plantings of trees. The southern regions of Russia could acquire the status of attractive places for fallow deer to live.
Bulldozer - Apr 22nd, 2015
The fallow deer is an unusually graceful and beautiful animal. They have short legs, but at the same time elastic and strong, and a strong body. The neck and head are small, pointed ears and a rather long tail. Female deer do not have antlers, while males have high, spade-shaped ones with shoots.
Nowadays, fallow deer can be found in Europe, New Zealand and America. They live in dense and deciduous forests with a lot of bushes, thickets and grass. In summer, females and their offspring move in small groups, while males stay alone. They feed on leaves, grass and vegetation. They also eat mushrooms, berries, bark, acorns and chestnuts. They regularly visit watering holes.
Fallow deer are absolutely unable to walk on snow due to their rather short legs, so as soon as it falls out, they practically do not move away from the feeders. In winter, people feed them with hay and grain. As a result of this very caring attitude towards the fallow deer, they became semi-domestic animals.
The fallow rut occurs in September and October. Males join the herd and engage in brutal tournament battles for their attention. Pregnancy for females lasts approximately eight months and a calf appears in late spring.
In April, males shed their antlers, and in August they reach development. Fallow deer live on average 25-30 years.
Video: about the life of a doe.
Medium size. The height at the withers in adult males ranges from 85 to 100 cm. Body length is about 140 cm. Skull length is 254-290 cm. Live weight rarely exceeds 100 kg, usually less. Females are somewhat smaller than males.1 The height at the rump is several centimeters higher than the height at the withers.
The profile of the back is straight, rising posteriorly or slightly convex. The head is relatively wide in the postorbital part, and has a strongly narrowed snout. The ears are relatively long; being bent forward, they reach the preorbital fossae; their tops are pointed. The nasal planum is small, occupying only the middle part of the upper lip; its upper border barely extends above the level of the lower edges of the nostrils and only on the sides stretches along the inner and outer edges of the latter. The preorbital glands are small. The iris of the eyes is brown.
The horns of males are round or longitudinally oval at the base and in the middle part. One supraorbital and one middle process extend forward from the main trunk, curved with their apices upward. The supraorbital process is not inferior in length to the middle one. The second supraorbital process is absent. Above the middle shoot, the main trunk is flattened and has the shape of a spade, from the upper and posterior edge of which 7-9 small finger-like or also flattened processes extend; at the same time, the most posterior and lower process is the longest and is set further away from other processes, being, obviously, a homolog of the posterior process in other representatives of the genus Cervus L.
The general background of the winter coloring of the upper body, neck and head is typically dark brown with a yellowish or reddish tint. The upper part of the back and sacrum are the darkest colored, often black-brown. On the sides and bottom the color gradually becomes lighter and acquires a clear gray tint. The neck, sides and bottom of the head also have a gray tint, while the upper part of the latter (forehead and nose) is colored the same as the top of the body - brownish-brown. There is a light ring around the eyes. The inside of the ears is grayish-white, the outside is brownish-brown. The end of the muzzle along the edges of the mouth is whitish. The lower body and inner surface of the legs are white, sometimes with a reddish or grayish tint. The limbs below the carpal and hock joints are light, reddish in front, almost white in the back and sides. The tail is white, but there is a black-brown stripe along its midline. The peri-caudal mirror is small, almost does not extend to the sides of the thighs and does not rise above the base of the tail, on top and sides it is bordered by a narrow strip of black-brown color, merging with the dark color of the top of the sacrum. Light round or oval small spots, barely noticeable in the winter coat, are scattered along the upper part, along the sides of the body and on the croup. The hooves and nasal planum are black-brown. The general background of the summer color is brownish-red or pure red. The distribution of dark and light-colored areas is the same as in winter. The spotting is pronounced, covering not only the back, sides and hips, but also the shoulder blades to the neck. On the sides of the body, the spots merge to form almost continuous longitudinal white stripes. The coloration of fallow deer, especially in conditions of park, semi-free keeping, is subject to variability. Albinos and spotted doe are common, and melanists (“black doe”) are relatively rare.
The winter coat consists of a brownish fine undercoat (down), a thicker brittle awn and sparsely scattered coarse, long guide hairs. On the front part of the head the spine is short, elastic, on the forehead and neck it is soft. On the upper side of the body it is coarser than on the neck, but the coarsest and thickest hair is on the sides and belly. The mane on the underside of the neck, characteristic of males of other deer species, does not develop in male fallow deer. The hair along the upper edge of the neck points forward. A characteristic feature of fallow deer is a tuft of long hair in the genital area (in males, around the opening of the preputial sac). Individual hairs on the upper half of the body have zonal colors; from the base they are light brown, gradually darkening upward, but in front of the apex they have a light red or white ring; the tip of the hair is black-brown, almost black. The hair along the midline of the back and along the edges of the paracaudal mirror usually lacks a preapical light ring, causing a uniform dark coloration of these parts of the body. The gray tint of the color of the sides of the body, neck and head is due to the lighter, white color of the pre-apical rings.
History and distribution of fallow deer
The origin of the subgenus Dama Frisch is not yet clear. There is an assumption that it represents a lateral branch of the Pliocene genus Eucladocerus Falc. (Flerov, 1952). Species close to modern ones are known from Pleistocene deposits of Europe and Asia.
The indigenous range of the fallow deer is considered to be the Mediterranean countries: Portugal, Italy, Greece, the islands of Rhodes and Sardinia, northern Africa, the southern part of Asia Minor, Palestine. In a wild state, it is preserved on the southwestern coast of the Sea of Marmara, along the southern coast of Asia Minor east to Adana, including the Taurus Mountains, and in small numbers in northwestern Africa (Flerov, 1952). It is found in a semi-domestic state in most European countries, including England and the southern part of the Scandinavian Peninsula. It is generally accepted that the fallow deer was brought to Central and Northern Europe from the south. However, judging by the fact that already in the Pleistocene in Germany there was a form of fallow deer, almost indistinguishable from the modern one, it can be assumed that its range was previously much wider and that the population preserved in the parks represents direct descendants of the aboriginal inhabitants of Central Europe. It is known, for example, that during the time of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania (XIII-XVI centuries) fallow deer were not uncommon in the territory of modern Poland and Lithuania.
In Ukraine, fallow deer have long been bred in the Askania-Nova Zoo (Kherson region). A number of them were released on the island. Khortytsia on the Dnieper (territory of the former Zaporozhye Sich). In 1952, 10 heads of fallow deer from Askania-Nova were released into the state game reserve Sukholesy, Uzinsky district, Kyiv region. Fallow deer have successfully taken root here and given birth.
In 1949, a number of fallow deer, also from Askania-Nova, were brought to the hunting reserve in Colchis (Uspensky, 1950), but what the results of this acclimatization experience are is not known.
Experience has shown that in our conditions, fallow deer acclimatize satisfactorily in areas up to 50° N. w. In more northern areas, it is difficult to tolerate winters and requires the installation of covered premises for this period.
Biology of the fallow deer
In a natural setting and when kept semi-freely over fairly large areas, the fallow deer prefers mixed or deciduous forests, alternating with open glades, where it prefers to feed in the summer months. She avoids continuous forests, especially coniferous ones. Willingly stays in dense thickets of bushes, forest undergrowth, and along dense forest edges. The terrain prefers flat or slightly hilly.
In summer, fallow deer's food consists of grass, as well as foliage and young shoots of bushes and trees. In winter, the basis of nutrition, in the absence of fertilizing, is twig food. They eat hay prepared for them, acorns, chestnuts, beech nuts, as well as potatoes and root vegetables. They willingly use the artificial salt licks provided for them.
Fallow deer keep in groups consisting of several females with offspring and young animals from previous years. Males stay separately for most of the year, joining herds of females only during the rutting season and in winter. In a mixed herd, the male is usually the leader.
Fallow deer do not make any significant migrations; minor movements within the inhabited territory are associated with feeding and protective conditions. They feed not only at night and in the morning, but also during the daytime. In park conditions, fallow deer are less shy than, for example, red deer, show signs of curiosity in relation to an unfamiliar object, boldly approach feeding areas, even enter sheds and sheds specially arranged for them, easily get used to people, go when called or signal, they take food from the hands. However, complete domestication does not happen, and animals usually do not allow themselves to be held by hands or petted. Where the fallow deer finds itself completely free, it quickly runs wild; becomes very timid and cautious. Among the sense organs, hearing is well developed.
The doe moves by walking, trotting and jumping. In running speed it is inferior to the red deer. Can make jumps up to 2 m high. Swims well.
The first horns of males begin to grow at six months of age in the form of simple matches, the skin of which comes off in August of the following year.
These first horns are shed in July of the third year. During the development of horns, the supraorbital and middle processes appear successively. The shovels and posterior processes develop last. Antlers reach full development by the age of five. Adult males shed their antlers in April or May. The growth of new ones begins about eight days after the old ones are shed and ends in August or September. The growth and development of antlers in a fallow deer depends on the function of the gonads. Castration of males at an early age, before the start of noticeable growth of horns, leads to the fact that the horns do not develop at all, or in their place, knob-shaped outgrowths of cartilaginous consistency are formed, covered with skin and not replaced throughout life. Castration of adult males with fully developed and cleared horns entails their premature shedding. The horns that grow later are devoid of or have underdeveloped processes and, without being replaced throughout life, remain covered with skin.
Reproduction of fallow deer
The sexual season (rutting period) of fallow deer occurs in October. At this time, they retire, where possible, to permanent “lecking grounds” located deep in the forest. Here the males gather around themselves harems of as many females as possible. In excitement, they kick out several holes in the ground, located one near the other. Fierce fights often occur between males. In park farms it is recommended to keep 7-8 males for every 60 animals. Pregnancy in females lasts about 8 months. In June, the female gives birth to one, rarely two calves. Before calving, she leaves the herd and joins it again, usually in August. On the second day after birth, the calf is able to follow its mother, but at first it lies hidden in the grass. The mother feeds the calf with milk for a long time, almost until the next calving, but already from the age of four weeks the calf begins to nibble grass.
Information about the lifespan of fallow deer is contradictory. Turkin and Satunin (1902) put it at 20 years, while Schillinger gives an unlikely figure of 70 years and points to cases where 40-50-year-old females regularly gave birth to calves.
The enemies of fallow deer are mainly the wolf and the lynx; For young ones, the fox is dangerous for the first time after birth. Stray dogs can be an evil in park conditions.
Economic importance of fallow deer
Thanks to its ability to easily acclimatize and become semi-domesticated, the fallow deer is of great interest to our hunting industry. It can probably be successfully acclimatized in a number of nature reserves and hunting grounds, subject to proper protection from predators, stray dogs and poachers. In the middle zone, hay will be required for the winter, but in the Transcaucasus, fallow deer can be found grazing all year round. With proper management, it can produce a significant amount of tasty meat, skin suitable for making suede, and horns, which are used as wall decorations and for various crafts.
Infraclass - placental
Family - deer
Rod - doe
Literature:
1. I.I. Sokolov "Fauna of the USSR, Hoofed Animals" Publishing House of the Academy of Sciences, Moscow, 1959.
The fallow deer, or European fallow deer (Dama dama) is a medium-sized deer. Currently, this is a fairly common species in Europe and Western Asia. Presumably, the original range was limited only to Asia. Despite the fact that the animal belongs to the family of true deer, the characteristic feature of the European fallow deer is its wide antlers and the presence of spotted, attractive summer coloring.
Description of the doe
Fallow deer are much larger than roe deer, but smaller and significantly lighter than red deer.. The main feature of the European subspecies is the length of the animal in the range of 1.30-1.75 m, as well as the presence of a tail no more than 18-20 cm long. The maximum height of a fully mature animal at the withers does not exceed 80-105 cm. The average weight of an adult male is 65-110 kg, and females - no more than 45-70 kg.
Appearance
Males of the European fallow deer are somewhat larger than the Iranian fallow deer (Dama mesopotamica), and their body reaches a length of 2.0 m or more. The fallow deer of this genus is distinguished by a more muscular body, as well as a rather short neck and limbs, compared to the red deer. The antlers of the European fallow deer, unlike the Mesopotamian type, can be spade-shaped. In April, all old male European fallow deer shed their antlers, and newly formed antlers appear on animals only at the end of summer, around August.
This is interesting! Recently, completely white or black phenotypes of European fallow deer, which have a very original and attractive appearance, have become quite common.
The coloring of fallow deer changes depending on the changing seasons. In summer, the color of the animal on the upper part and at the tip of the tail has a reddish-brown tint with white, fairly bright spots. There are lighter tones on the underside and legs.
With the onset of winter, the animal's head, neck area and ears of the European fallow deer become dark brown, and the sides and back become almost black. There is an ash-grayish color on the underside.
Lifestyle of a doe
In its way of life, the European fallow deer is close to the red deer, but is more unpretentious, therefore it mainly sticks to spacious pine groves and safe park landscapes. However, fallow deer are less timid and cautious, and in terms of speed and agility, representatives of the fallow deer genus are not inferior to red deer. On summer days, European fallow deer prefer to stay apart or in small groups. At the same time, the young of the year are close to their mother. The period of main activity occurs in the cool morning and evening hours, when animals graze or come to water.
This is interesting! Battles for a female during deer tournaments can be so fierce that deer quite often break each other’s and even their own necks, so both rivals may well die.
During hot daytime hours, fallow deer rest on special beds in the shade of bushes or directly near various bodies of water, where there are no annoying numerous midges. Individuals living in park areas quite easily become practically tame, so they are even able to take food from human hands. In late autumn, such animals gather in fairly large herds, consisting of females and males. At the same time, deer tournaments and weddings take place.
Lifespan
The fallow deer is a contemporary of the most ancient giant-horned fossil deer, which lived during the middle and late Pleistocene. As observations show, the life expectancy of the European fallow deer in natural conditions is on average: for males - about ten years, and for females - no more than fifteen years. In captivity, a noble animal can easily live for a quarter of a century or even a little more.
Range, habitats
The natural range of fallow deer covers almost all European countries adjacent to the Mediterranean Sea, as well as northwest Africa and Egypt, the territories of Asia Minor, Lebanon, Syria, and Iraq. Fallow deer prefer to live in forested areas that have numerous lawns and open areas. But they are able to adapt very well to various habitats, so they are found even on island territories in the North Sea. The number of fallow deer varies depending on the terrain in the regions, but in some cases reaches about eight dozen individuals.
This is interesting! Before the period of the October Revolution, fallow deer on the territory of our country served as a subject of hunting for the most privileged people, so the animal was quite actively imported from the West.
It is believed that fallow deer were brought to the territory of Central Europe from several southern regions, but judging by numerous documentary facts, previously the range of the noble and beautiful animal was significantly wider - it also included Poland, Lithuania and Belovezhskaya Pushcha. According to data from the middle of the last century, wild fallow deer lived on the southwestern coast of the Sea of Marmara, as well as in Spain and along the southern coast of Asia Minor.
Diet of the European fallow deer
Fallow deer are ruminants and exclusively herbivores, whose diet consists of tree foliage and succulent grass. Sometimes hungry animals are able to tear off a small amount of tree bark. In spring, fallow deer eat snowdrops, corydalis, anemone, and also feast on fresh rowan, maple, oak and pine shoots.
In summer, the diet is enriched with mushrooms and acorns, chestnuts and berries, sedges and cereals, legumes or umbrella plants. To replenish mineral reserves, the fallow deer looks for soils rich in various salts. People create artificial salt licks, and also set up feeders, which are filled with grain and hay with the onset of winter. Among other things, in some areas food fields with clover, lupine, as well as fast-growing Jerusalem artichoke and other herbs are laid out especially for fallow deer.
Natural enemies
European fallow deer do not like to leave their inhabited territories very much, so they rarely go beyond the borders of their range. The daily movements of such representatives of the class Mammals and the order Artiodactyls, as a rule, are represented by the same routes. Among other things, animals from the Deer family do not tolerate fast walking in the snow, due to their short legs and the risk of becoming easy prey for predators.
Thanks to their well-developed sense of smell, fallow deer are able to find moss and some edible roots under the snow cover, so starvation rarely causes mass deaths of such animals. The fallow deer's hearing is greatly enhanced, but its vision is noticeably weaker - at the first danger, the noble representative of the subfamily Real deer manages to escape, very easily jumping over even two-meter obstacles.
The European fallow deer is a medium-sized deer belonging to the subfamily of “true deer.” You will see a photo of the European fallow deer and a description of the graceful animal in this article.
The weight of an adult European fallow deer can reach 100 kg. The height at the withers ranges from 80 to 100 cm.
Female fallow deer are much smaller than males. Males have developed horns, which from an oval section at the base of the skull gradually take on a flat shape closer to the edges.
The color of the animal changes significantly with the changing seasons. In winter, the ears, neck and head become dark brown, and the sides and back become dark, almost black. The belly is painted light gray. In summer the color is slightly different.
The legs and underparts become lighter, the top and tail are brownish-red with distinct white spots. Unlike other types of deer, the color of the European fallow deer is highly variable. Among individuals, melanists (dark color) and albinos are often found.
Habitat of fallow deer from Europe
At the present time, the fallow deer is found on the territory of European countries that have access to the Mediterranean Sea, as well as in Egypt, West Africa, Lebanon, Asia Minor, Iraq, and Syria. According to some data, in the 13th – 16th centuries, fallow deer could be found in the territory of Lithuania, Poland and modern Belovezhskaya Pushcha. However, at the moment, the animal has disappeared almost completely in these areas and is no longer found.
Lifestyle and nutrition of the European fallow deer
From the beginning of spring to the end of summer, fallow deer activity is observed in the evening and morning hours. At this time, they graze in clearings in the forest and hayfields.
During the day, as a rule, they rest on beds in dense shady thickets. The beds are located near bodies of water. Males and females move separately. In the warm season, males walk in groups or alone. Females live with calves alone or in small groups.
By the end of summer these groups become larger. The well-trodden paths of the deer trails are very clear and easily visible.
As a rule, animals follow the same routes. Fallow deer are very good at moving through the snow and getting food in the winter. Their nomadic instinct is very weak, their movements during life are insignificant compared to other types of deer. Fallow deer have well-developed hearing and sense of smell. Vision is somewhat inferior, but it is also well developed. These animals are endowed with amazing dexterity and mobility. They can easily jump over obstacles even two meters high. When in danger, they retreat with long jumps.
European deer are excellent jumpers. Jumping helps them escape from predators. It is noteworthy that compared to other types of deer, fallow deer are not very fearful, especially when kept in parks. They are not very afraid of humans, they approach feeding areas without fear and even eat from their hands.
The fallow deer is a herbivorous ruminant. The diet consists mainly of tree leaves and grass. The types of plants eaten may vary depending on the time of year. Fallow deer also eat tree bark, which sometimes harms forests. The lack of minerals encourages fallow deer to seek salt-rich soils, the so-called solonetzes. These salt licks can be natural or artificial, specially created by man.
Reproduction of European fallow deer
The rutting period for fallow deer lasts two and a half months. It starts in September and ends by mid-November.
The behavior of males changes dramatically with the beginning of the mating season. Males become excited, emit a trumpet roar, declaring their right to territory and females, and merge with herds of females. One male fertilizes, as a rule, from 5 to 10 females during one mating season.
