red deer

{plural – the same spelling and pronunciation = red deer; and the word ‘deer’ rhymes with the word “dear”}

a kind of deer – mammal – four-legged – grass-eating – large, robust body with short thick reddish-brown to brown coat (hair), males have branching antlers, cone-shaped head with medium-sized straight folded leaf-like ears, clear round eyes, long muzzle (= mouth and nose part), long slender neck in females, and long, thick muscular neck in males, slim but powerful legs with even toes on the feet, short tail (5-8 inch long); size: on average, 3-4 feet tall at the shoulder, 5-7 feet long, and weight: 150-250 Kg. (males are much larger than females); feeds on (eats) grasses; lives for 10-15 years; found in Europe, Asia, northern part of Africa, and introduced to Australia, New Zealand and Argentina, South America

male ~~ stag

female ~~ hind

baby ~~ calf

group ~~ herd [female group a male maintains during breeding season – harem]

voice ~~ stag – roar; gruff; bark

hind – bleat; bark; [occasionally – roar]  calf – bleat; scream

[The meat of the red deer eaten by people is called ‘venison’.]

Some common red deer are: eastern European red deer, western European red deer, Kashmir stag (hangul), maral, barbary stag, corsican red deer, yarkand deer

Special Features:

The ‘Kashmir stag’ (or hangul) is the state animal of Jammu & Kashmir state of India.

Red deer used to be a popular game animal, hunted for food and sport (the antlers used as trophies).

Only the males (stags) have branching antlers which are shed (drop off) after every breeding season and re-grown just before the next breeding season!

In some species of red deer the stags (males) have a thick mane (= long hair grown on the back of the neck) on the under side of the neck!

The red deer pictures are found in the ‘cave art’ throughout European caves. (‘cave art’ = the pictures drawn on the walls of the caves by the people who lived in the caves thousands of years ago)

The smooth skin-like covering on the antlers, which the stags rub off before the breeding season is called ‘antler velvet’, and is used in the country medicine, along with the antlers which are ground into powder!

Antlers are used in the modern art work, furniture and other novelty items!

‘Red Deer’ is the name of a city in central Alberta, Canada.

Red deer are so popular in North America and Europe that several sport and business establishments have them in their logos!

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