Fallow Deer

Dama dama

Class: Mammalia Order: Artiodactyla Family: Cervidae

Size

Weight: 82-225 lbs
Height: 28-26 in at shoulder

Lifespan: 20-25 years

Grasses, leaves, buds, shoots, bark, and other vegetation.

Fallow deer are native to the forests of Europe, but they have also been introduced to other regions.

Fallow deer have spotted coats even as adults. The spots of some Fallow Deer fade in the winter and darken in the summer. This may be for more effective camouflage. This species also displays a variety of colorations including white, brown, red, and black.
Only males grow antlers. They are covered in a substance called “velvet” which protects the veins that supply blood to the antlers. They drop their antlers in early spring and being growing a new pair in the summer, and may reach 3 feet long. Antlers get larger each year until the male is sexually maturity.
Females, called does, have a gestation period of 7.5 months. They usually only have one fawn at a time, but on rare occasions, they may have twins. A doe will often hide her fawn during its first few weeks of life. This helps protect the fawn from predators.

Visitors can find our fallow deer within our Deer Forest attraction.

Least Concern

Populations in some regions are threatened by hunting.