The red deer (or Cervus elaphus) is a widespread species of ungulate living throughout the temperate grasslands, woodlands and scrublands of Europe, Asia and parts of Northern Africa. Red deer have red-brown fur with a paler underside. They have large, pointed ears, large eyes and a long snout. The species is sexually dimorphic; males are larger than females and grow wide antlers with multiple branches. There are several subspecies of red deer, and size varies depending on the region and environmental conditions. Male red deer are called stags, and can grow between 1.7m and 2.5m long, with a height of 1.07m to 1.37m at the shoulder. Female red deer, called hinds, can achieve a body length of 1.6m to 2.1m and grow 0.95m to 1.22m tall at the shoulder. Stags are much heavier than hinds, weighing 90kg to 240kg and 60kg to 170kg comparatively.
Latin Name
Cervus elaphus
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red-deer
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Animal Facts
The heaviest red deer ever recorded weighed 497kg.
Male red deer make a loud roar known as a ‘bugle’ to aid in the cohesion of their harem and to signal to rival males.
The red deer's hooves are soft at birth, so fawns rarely walk for the first 16 days of their lives until they harden.
Red deer fawns are born with spots for camouflage, but lose their spots by the time they are 5 months old.
Red deer shed and regrow their antlers every year; while they are growing, they are covered in velvet which provides blood and nutrients to the growing bones.