Fallow deer
Dama dama
Class: Mammalia Order: Artiodactyla Family: Cervidae
Size
Weight: 82-225 lbs
Height: 28-26 in at shoulder
Lifespan
Lifespan: 20-25 years
Diet
Grasses, leaves, buds, shoots, bark, and other vegetation.
Habitat & Range
Fallow deer are native to the forests of Europe, but they have also been introduced to other regions.
Interesting Facts
Fallow deer coats come in three colors. Some stay spotted their entire life, others are solid brown and some are white. Their coat color darkens during the winter and gets lighter again in the spring.
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 have one fawn, 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.
At the Zoo
Visitors can find our fallow deer within our Deer Forest attraction.
Conservation Status
Least Concern
Threats
Populations in some regions are threatened by hunting.
