Interesting and funny facts about deer. Facts about deer you didn't know before

The antlered deer has taken a strong place both in human mythology and in various everyday jokes, because it is generally accepted to compare a man whose wife is cheating on him with a deer, or rather its antlers. This is obviously connected with the fact that when in the old days men went hunting (including deer), their wives met with lovers at that time, hence the expression “set antlers.” On the other hand, among Indian tribes, deer is considered a sacred animal. “If you meet a sacred deer in the forest, happiness and good fortune await you,” as many Indian legends say. And, of course, killing a deer was a grave crime for the American Indians, which, unfortunately, cannot be said about white people.

Deer: description, structure, characteristics. What does a deer look like?

Deer belongs to the chordates, artiodactyl mammals, of the cervid (deer) family. Our name for this animal, “deer,” comes from the ancient Slavic “elen,” as our ancestors called this slender animal.

The size of a deer differs depending on its species, for example, the height of a large reindeer is from 0.8 to 1.5 meters, body length is 2 meters and weighs 200 kg. While the small tufted deer is only 1 meter in length and weighs no more than 50 kg.

The red deer has the most slender body; it has a proportional build, a long neck, and a slightly elongated head.

The deer's eyes are yellow-brown in color and have deep tear grooves nearby.

Some deer boast thin, graceful legs, others have short ones, but all deer, without exception, have well-developed leg muscles, which also serves as a means of survival for them. It’s not for nothing that it is one of the twenty fastest animals in the world; the speed of a deer running away from predators can reach up to 55 km per hour.

A deer’s teeth are clear indicators of its age; based on the degree of wear (wearing down the fangs and incisors), a good zoologist can easily determine how old it is.

Deer skin is covered with hair, which can be as thin as summer period, and thick warming winter. The color of a deer's coat is usually tan, tan, gray or red.

Antler

The branched antlers of a deer, perhaps, deserve special mention, because this is the most noticeable decoration of this animal, which is possessed by all types of deer (with the exception of antlerless deer) and only by males. Female deer do not have antlers, but again with the exception of reindeer, in which both males and females have antlers (although female reindeer have antlers that are several times smaller in size than males).

Interesting fact: many species of deer shed their old antlers about once a year, and new ones immediately begin to grow in their place. Deer antlers are made of cartilage and then grow over bone tissue, the speed of their growth largely depends on the deer’s nutrition; the more saturated it is, the faster its antlers grow.

Deer living in tropical and equatorial latitudes, they shed their antlers rarely (about once every few years) or not at all.

The horns of a deer serve, among other things, for protection and also for attack. You might ask, why would a peaceful herbivorous deer attack someone? In fact, male deer often have fights with each other over females, during which they actively butt heads with antlers; the female goes to the winner with the strongest antlers. Reindeer also use their antlers to dig up snow to get to moss, a lichen that serves as their favorite food.

Where do deer live

Since deer are quite unpretentious to their habitats and feel quite at ease both on plains and mountainous areas, both in the cold tundra and the equatorial belt, they can be found in many places on our planet. Deer live in many countries in Europe and Asia (including Ukraine), North and South America, and there are deer living in Africa, Australia and New Zealand.

How long does a deer live?

The life expectancy of a deer in natural conditions is on average 15-20 years. In zoos and reindeer farms, many deer can live up to 25-30 years.

What does a deer eat?

Since the deer is a herbivore, its diet depends on the places in which the deer lives, or more precisely on the vegetation of those places. Many deer eat leaves, young shoots of trees, grass, branches of bushes, and also tree bark, which serves as a significant part of their diet. Deer will not refuse to eat ripe fruits of apples, pears, and various berries. Reindeer living in the tundra love to eat moss, which they dig out right from under the snow with their branched antlers.

Enemies of the deer

In natural conditions, the dangerous enemy of deer is and, from which the deer often manages to escape with the help of its muscular legs. However, a pack of wolves, especially one acting in a coordinated manner, can easily drive down an old or sick deer. Also a dangerous enemy of deer is the human hunter, who kills this amazing beast for the sake of its antlers, which he then hangs in the form of hunting trophy somewhere near the fireplace.

Lifestyle of deer

Deer are nomadic animals, living in small herds of 10-30 individuals. In summer, they prefer to settle in forests, where the abundance of various trees and grass serve them as an excellent menu. In winter, they try to wander into impenetrable thickets, since this is where there are the least snow drifts and, as a result, a greater abundance of food under a relatively small snow cover.

What is the difference between deer and elk

Although moose and deer are close relatives and sometimes the moose is even mistakenly called the largest deer, there are a number of differences between them:

• The first difference is in the shape of the horn; in elk, the antlers develop horizontally to the surface of the ground, and also have wide spade-shaped branches. The antlers of a deer are always raised upward.
• Elk is much larger than deer, its weight can reach up to 655 kg, while the weight of the largest deer does not exceed 350 kg.
• The legs of an elk are longer and thinner than those of a deer.
• Unlike deer, moose never gather in herds, preferring to live alone, at most in pairs of male + female.

On the left is a deer, on the right is an elk.

What is the difference between a deer and a roe deer

Roe deer, which are also part of the deer family, differ from the latter in a number of ways:

• The antlers of a roe deer do not have branches, like those of a deer.
• Roe deer, unlike deer, will never eat tree bark; otherwise, their diet is largely similar.
• There is a difference in feeding their offspring: if female deer feed their young while standing, roe deer do this lying down.

On the left is a deer, on the right is a roe deer.

Types of deer, photos and names

exists in nature a large number of various types deer, below we will describe the most interesting of them.

The most beautiful representative of the deer family, has a slender body and proportional build. Under the tail of a red deer there is a characteristic White spot. The antlers of this species of deer are characterized by their signature branching. The red deer, in turn, is divided into several subspecies; its size depends on belonging to one or another subspecies, for example, a small Bukhara deer weighs about 100 kg and grows to 170-190 cm in length. While the subspecies of this deer is the maral , has up to 1.6 meters in length and weighs about 300 kg. The red deer lives over a wide geographical range and can be found in many European countries, China, North Africa, North and South America and Australia.

Also known as caribou. This deer, which lives in the northern regions, in the tundra, is distinguished by the fact that both males and females have antlers. And this is not just like that, the fact is that female reindeer need antlers for a practical purpose; with their help, they, like males, clear snow in order to get to the food, moss, and lichens located underneath. And besides this, reindeer are the only ones among deer that also eat meat, namely small rodents that live in the same places. The reindeer's body length is 1.9-2.1 meters, weight - 190 kg.

Also known as the only antlerless deer. This is one of the smallest representatives of the deer family, its length is only 75-100 cm, and its weight is 9-15 kg. The water deer lives in the forest thickets of China and the Korean Peninsula. He is an excellent swimmer and can swim several kilometers, migrating between deltas of different rivers.

David's Deer

Also known as milu deer, it is a very rare species that was almost completely exterminated at the beginning of the last twentieth century. Now they are trying to restore their population again in the Chinese reserves where it lived before. It got its name from the French priest and naturalist Armand David, who was the first to describe this type of deer. It is of medium size, its body length is 140 cm, with a weight of 150-200 kg. Interesting feature David's deer is characterized by its frequent change of antlers, which occurs twice a year. They also have an elongated, narrow head, which is atypical for other deer.

This species of deer got its name due to its distinctive white coloration of the neck and front of the head. The antlers of this deer are also white. The length of the white-faced deer is 230 cm and weighs 200 kg. These deer live in the mountainous forests of Tibet and some Chinese provinces.

It has a black-brown tuft on its head, hence its name. Another distinctive feature of this deer is its short and not at all branched antlers. These deer live in the forests of South and Southeast Asia.

Also known as Virginia deer, since the largest population of these deer lives in the US state of Virginia (although in addition to Virginia it lives in other US states and also in Canada). It got its name due to the characteristic white color of its tail. The length of the white-tailed deer is up to 1 meter and weighs about 150 kg.

This deer received such a unique name for its unique manner of movement, somewhat reminiscent of the way a pig moves. The pig deer has a bushy tail. Males are darker in color than females. Lives in Pakistan, India, Thailand and other countries of Southeast Asia.

The sika deer has beautiful white spots on its red fur, which give it its name. The spotted deer is medium in size, its length is 1.6-1.8 meters, with a weight of 95-112 kg. This species of deer lives in the Far East, in middle lane Russian Federation and in the Caucasus. On this moment Due to population decline, it is listed in the Red Book.

Reproduction of deer

Deer lead a harem, polygamous lifestyle; the herd of these animals is led by a strong male who mates with several females. The same male deer protects his ladies from the encroachment of other competing males. In the fight for females, male deer stage real, almost knightly fights, clashing their antlers.

Deer reach sexual maturity early; by the age of two years, a female deer is able to give birth to cubs. Males become sexually mature at 2-3 years. The pregnancy of a doe, depending on the species, lasts 6-9 months. When the time comes for giving birth, the female looks for a cozy and secluded place for this purpose. Usually only one child is born at a time, only in rare cases can there be twins. Small fawns have a spotted color, which serves them as an excellent camouflage from predators.

Only after being born, a small fawn can already stand on its feet, and after another month of breastfeeding, it can already graze grass on its own, although it also continues to feed on its mother’s milk throughout the entire first year of its life.

After a year, the first small bumps on the head of young male deer begin to appear - future luxurious deer antlers.

• Deer antlers have healing properties in the treatment of hypertension and nervous diseases. Which, of course, is not good for the deer themselves, many species of which are already listed in the Red Book, as they are on the verge of extinction.
• Among many peoples and different times The deer was revered as a sacred animal, for example, the Mayan Indians sometimes even called themselves “deer people,” and the deer was considered their main tribal ancestor. Among the ancient Celts, the deer was considered a symbol of the Sun, fertility, vitality, and was personified with the god Cernun, whom the Celts depicted with deer antlers.
• Often the image of a deer can be found in medieval heraldry, where the deer symbolized grace and moderation.

Reindeer - wanderers of the north, video

And finally interesting documentary about reindeer.

One of the most graceful, beautiful animals of our forests is the red deer. This animal has a slender, proportional physique. This species has existed for many hundreds of years. It is distinguished by certain habits and habitat. This beautiful animal will be discussed further.

General information

The red deer is a fairly ancient species. This animal existed in those days when people still lived in caves. Since those times, many rock paintings of this wonderful animal have been preserved. However, at all times, deer have been the desired prey of hunters. If they managed to kill him, the tribe could forget about hunger for a long time.

This is a strong, cautious animal. It was always quite difficult to kill him. The hunter had no room for error. If he missed, the deer could not only injure him, but also kill him. At the same time, danger threatened everyone nearby. Therefore, deer hunting has always been difficult.

In ancient times, people deified this animal. They believed that killing more than two deer in a year was a great sin. The hunter will definitely pay for this in the future. Ancient artists carefully depicted the stately figure of this animal on the rocks. Indeed, the sight of a deer, which proudly turned its head with branched antlers, is mesmerizing.

Description

The species of red deer belongs to the chordate phylum. This is a class of mammals that belongs to the order Artiodactyls. The red deer category includes several species. They differ in color, body weight, and habitat. Distinctive feature all representatives of this species is the presence of branched big horns.

The posture of this animal is truly proud and noble. Deer have a rebellious character, as well as colossal strength. Thanks to such features, this large animal can protect itself from various enemies. His opponent will be in trouble if he gets into a fight with a deer.

Even wolves cannot defeat a deer. These predators attack them extremely rarely. The only serious enemy of this species is humans. Hunters still see this animal as the most desirable prey. If this process is not controlled, deer will not be able to survive in such conditions.

Appearance

Considering the description of a red deer, it should be said that it can be of different sizes. It depends on the species. On average, these animals grow from 80 to 150 cm in height. The body length is 2 m. Weight can vary from 200 to 400 kg. The smallest representative of the species is the tufted deer. Its weight does not exceed 50 kg. The body length of this animal rarely exceeds 1 m.

All deer of this species are dark brown in color. Lighter fur on the belly, neck, legs and head. The darkest are the sides and back. Only males have horns. They reach a height of 110-150 cm.

The body of the animal is wide and the tail is short. The deer's legs are long and thin. Males are larger than females by an average of 10%. In this case, the weight may differ by two times. Females weigh from 170 to 290 kg, and males from 180 to 330 kg.

The eyes of these animals are yellow-brown. There are noticeable grooves next to them. There is a dent on the forehead. The age of a deer can be determined by its teeth. The angle of inclination and the degree of grinding of the incisors and fangs allows you to accurately determine how old the animal is.

Horns

The horns of this animal are the source of its pride. Only the water deer does not have this essential attribute in both sexes. The females of many representatives of the species also do not have horns. However, there are animals in which both sexes have such bone growths. Thus, female North American red deer also have antlers. Only they are smaller than those of males.

Most members of the species shed their antlers every year. In their place, new growths immediately begin to develop. During development, horns first consist of cartilaginous tissue. After this, the base is overgrown with dense bones. The quality of the growths depends entirely on what the deer eats.

Deer need antlers to increase their chances of winning when fighting with an enemy. Most often they fight among themselves for the female. Reindeer have antlers on both sexes. These animals use their bone growths to dig out reindeer moss from under the snow.

Subspecies

The species includes many subspecies. All its representatives differ in appearance. European, Crimean, Caucasian, Altai red deer are all subspecies. This also includes deer, wapiti, etc. In total, this species includes about 15 subspecies. That's why red deer are the most common representative of this genus.

A distinctive feature of this species is the presence of a light spot under the tail. It is also found in deer, and in wapiti (red deer, a relative of the deer), and in other representatives of the species. Moreover, such deer are also called red. This is explained by the shade of their color at certain times of the year.

The horns of these animals can have different configurations, depending on the subspecies. They are the most branched in the European deer. Typically, representatives of this species have at least 5 horns. They form a branched crown above the animal’s head.

All representatives of the species do not have coat spotting in the summer. It may appear in cold weather.

Habitats

Where does the red deer live? This animal is distributed throughout the world. The subspecies have a very limited habitat. That's why they are called by this characteristic. There are Altai, Crimean, North American deer, etc. In the world, representatives of the species are found in many parts of the world and countries:

• Europe.
• North America.
• Asia.
• South America.
• Russia.
• Australia.
• New Zealand.
• Africa.

Deer can live in both very cold and hot climates. They are quite unpretentious to environmental conditions. They feel good both on the plains and in the mountains. However, most favorable environment Their habitats include wild wetlands, tundra areas with moss and lichen.

Many species of these animals prefer climates with high humidity. Therefore, deer can often be found near a reservoir. In summer, if the weather is very hot, animals climb into the water. Here they wait out the heat. In summer, deer live in forest clearings, and in winter - in the very dense thickets.

Features of male behavior

Crimean, European, North American, Siberian red deer and other subspecies are distinguished by certain behavioral characteristics. These animals are shy, aggressive and nervous. Young individuals often engage in serious fights with their peers. They cannot be called playful.

Young males, when entering a fight, stand on their hind legs. They try to strike their opponent with their forelimbs. This usually does not result in permanent injury. This behavior allows males to determine their status and which of them is stronger. The winner gets the right to mate with the female and leave offspring.

Behavior of females

Females, without hesitation, attack anyone who encroaches on her cubs. She kicks the predator hard. Females do not finish off their opponent. The predator has the opportunity to escape after being hit. Males not only beat such opponents, but also trample them to death. Therefore, if wolves attack a deer, it is only in a large pack.

Dangers

There are not as many threats to deer as to other species. However, they still exist. Predators sometimes attack them in packs. However, this happens extremely rarely. Northern subspecies, such as European and North American red deer, may be endangered in at a young age. An animal like a wolverine can tear apart a young deer. They attack inexperienced animals that have not yet become completely independent.

Adult deer are not in such danger. Wolverine avoids them. Deer fight with all predators. They almost always win it.

The biggest threat to deer is humans. These animals are afraid of people. They are trying to escape. Moreover, this behavior is typical not only at the moment when a deer sees a person. The animal flees even at the slightest rustle or smell of a person.

The female will not defend her young when she sees a human. She will run away. If a person takes the fawn in his arms, the female will also not attack the person. She steps aside and watches what is happening.

Nutrition

Red deer live mainly in forest areas. He prefers to eat a variety of plant foods. These can be leaves, annual shoots of bushes and trees, buds. In the summer they prefer to live in clearings. There is a lot of vegetation here. In the summer, the diet is supplemented with mushrooms, mosses, and various berries.

In the warm season, deer often stay close to a pond. Discarded algae may be found on the shore. The deer love them very much. May also feed on branches deciduous trees.

IN winter period deer go into the deepest thickets. There are no large snowdrifts here. Therefore, deer can get through the thin layer to plant food. It grows in abundance under the snow in winter. In spring, deer eat cereals. If there is not enough such food, they can eat the needles. However, this product can cause various digestive disorders. Therefore, deer eat pine needles only as a last resort.

Reproduction

European, Altai, Crimean red deer and other subspecies have certain reproductive characteristics. They choose a rather unusual time for this. Most animal species mate in the spring. In deer, this process begins in the fall.

In September-October, an adult male begins to compete with his own kind for the right to mate with females. A duel begins between the deer. It is accompanied by a loud roar. The fight can be serious. Deer can seriously injure each other. Bloody battles often end in the death of a weak opponent. This action lasts quite a long time. The one with more strength and endurance wins.

The winner forms a harem for himself. The dominant is able to protect him from other males. A harem can consist of 1-6 females. The deer jealously guards them from outside attacks. Such a harem may also include females with one-year-old cubs. The male does not express aggression towards the fawns. Females and males become capable of reproduction at the age of 16 months. However, young males do not mate for several years. They are not ready to compete with adult deer.

Fawns

In representatives of this species, pregnancy lasts 9 months (240-260 days). The baby is born in May or June. One female almost always gives birth to one fawn. Twin pregnancies are extremely rare.

The fawn is fully formed. He weighs 15-16 kg at birth. Their hooves are still soft. The mother and baby live separately after the baby is born for several weeks. The female protects and feeds her offspring for one year. The male does not take any part in the process of raising the young generation.

The first three days after birth, the fawn lies in a secluded place. He is motionless at this time. The baby prefers to hide in the thick grass. He makes movements only to feed. A week later the baby learns to walk. He tries to follow his mother. At the age of 2 weeks, babies are already actively jumping and frolicking.

Some facts

This is a social animal. It stays in a group in the summer. The herd size can be up to 400 individuals. Vision, hearing and taste buds are well developed. All senses are involved when individuals communicate with each other.

Red deer wildlife lives up to 20 years. In a zoo, life expectancy can reach 30 years. In our country, this species is listed in the Red Book. He is under the protection of people. Some people raise deer for economic purposes.

In some countries, deer of this species are considered pests. They cause damage to farms. Deer eat crops. Therefore, hunting these animals is allowed in the countries of North and South America. However, this process must be controlled by the state.

Today, deer of this species are valued in the tourism sector. In medicine, various medicines are created from the blood and horns of these animals. The meat of this animal has many beneficial properties.

By considering the characteristics, habitats and behavior of an animal such as a red deer, you can expand your knowledge about this graceful representative of the wild fauna.

Deer are a group of artiodactyl animals belonging to the deer family of the same name. There are about 25 species of deer in total. Their closest relatives are roe deer, moose and muntjac, and very distant relatives... giraffes.

Red deer (Cervus elaphus).

Deer are large animals; the size of different species can vary from 55 cm at the withers and a weight of 10-15 kg for a water deer to 155 cm in height and a weight of over 300 kg for a red deer. All types of deer have an elegant body, thin, slender legs, long neck and a relatively small head, which is crowned with horns. Deer antlers have a specific branched shape, the number of lateral processes is at least three and can increase depending on the age and type of deer. The shape of the horns also depends on the type of animal. The horns are formed by bone tissue (unlike the horns of bovid animals, in which they consist of horny substance) and are shed annually. Only males wear antlers, with the exception of reindeer, in which both sexes have antlers.

Female deer are antlerless.

The tail of deer is relatively short; in some species it can be fluffy and spread out like a flower. All types of deer have a protective color, often brown (reindeer are gray), often with white or yellowish spots on the body (for example, sika deer, axis deer and fallow deer). Many species of deer are characterized by a so-called “mirror” patch of white fur on the animal’s rump. It performs a signaling function because it is clearly visible while running: this way the fawn does not lose sight of its mother in dense thickets, and other deer are warned of danger in time by seeing the flashing croup of its fellow deer.

Usually deer move in leaps.

The distribution range of deer is very wide - they are found throughout the northern hemisphere: in Europe, Asia and North America. Almost all types of deer are forest dwellers, except for the reindeer that lives in the tundra. Different types inhabit various types of forests: mountainous, lowland, dry woodlands or swampy swamps. These are mostly sedentary animals, sticking to a certain area of ​​the forest, and only species living in the north can make winter migrations in search of feeding places. Regular migrations are typical for reindeer: in summer, these animals go north to the shores of the Northern Arctic Ocean to escape from the annoying vileness; by winter they return south to the border of the taiga, where there are no such strong winds and frosts. In summer, deer live in herds of 3-5 individuals, only males and females stay separately during the birth of offspring.

By winter, deer herds become larger and can include up to 30-50 individuals.

The character of these animals is rather secretive and timid, although where they are fed, they quickly get used to the proximity of humans.

Deer feed on a variety of plant foods - branches of trees and shrubs, herbs, various fruits (acorns, chestnuts, nuts, fruits), sometimes they eat lichens, berries and mushrooms. Reindeer eat mainly tundra lichens (moss moss), which is why their diet is very low in protein. To meet the need for protein food, they are forced to gnaw on shed antlers, bones, and even eat bird eggs. All deer love to lick salt; to do this, they visit salt licks - special places in which the soil is rich in mineral salts.

The deer eats the pine needles.

Deer breed once a year. For northern species, the rut occurs in August-October, while deer living in the south breed all year round. Usually silent, deer transform during the rut.

A male deer roars loudly, his cry carries through the forest for a kilometer.

For their vocal exercises, males choose permanent place, where they trample the ground with their hooves and break branches. In general, during the breeding season, deer are very warlike - they break bushes with their antlers, peel off the bark of trees, and when they meet an opponent, they engage in battle. Fights among deer are by no means arbitrary.

Mating fight of deer.

The rivals do not disperse until they find out who is stronger, and the stronger does not give mercy to the weaker (unless he takes flight); often deer cause severe injuries to each other - they break antlers, inflict deep wounds, and deaths are known.

In addition to butting, deer can fight with an opponent with their front legs, rearing up.

The winning male collects a harem of 3-10 females. After the end of the rut, males shed their antlers, and new ones grow back for the next season. Pregnancy of deer lasts on average 6-7 months. Usually a female gives birth to 1, less often 2-3 fawns. Although fawns can stand on their legs from the first hours of their lives, they prefer to lie down in a secluded place for the first week.

All species of deer have variegated cubs (except reindeer), which perfectly camouflages them in the forest.

The female feeds the cubs with milk for 3-5 months, but the young remain with their mother throughout the fall and winter until the following spring.

The female brought the fawn into the herd.

Deer become sexually mature in the third year of life, but due to high competition with older animals, they begin to mate only at the age of 4-5 years. Deer live up to 20 years, but in nature they die at 10-12 years of age.

In nature, deer have many enemies: in different parts of their range they can be hunted by wolves, lynxes, bears, pumas, leopards, and tigers. Snowy winters greatly affect the number of deer. The fact is that it is difficult for deer to get food from under deep snow, and high snow cover makes movement in the forest very difficult. As a result, deer, weakened from lack of food, become easy prey for predators. Some exception is the reindeer, which is well adapted to move through the snow and is excellent at digging out reindeer moss in the snow.

Deer have always been a favorite prey for humans; hunting them was considered the preserve of the aristocracy. Despite this, the populations of many deer species are well preserved. This is facilitated by both the high fertility of these animals and special measures for their resettlement. In areas where deer are protected, they are not afraid of humans and frequent roadsides, campsites and the outskirts of small towns. Some deer species have become rare due to the destruction of natural habitats. For example, David's deer has completely disappeared in nature and the population of this species is maintained by breeding in zoos.

A pair of fallow deer (Cervus dama) in the autumn forest.

how a female deer protects her fawn.

1. Deer are animals of the chordate type, class mammals, order Artiodactyla, deer family.

The deer received its modern name thanks to the Old Slavic word “elen”. This is what the ancient Slavs called a slender animal with branched horns.

2. Deer live in European and Asian countries, in Russia, and feel at ease in North and South America, Africa, Australia and New Zealand.

3. Modern classification The deer family includes 3 subfamilies, 19 genera and 51 species. In addition to deer, representatives of the family include fallow deer, pudú, roe deer, moose, as well as mazamas, muntjacs, axis, sambars and barasinga.

4. The most interesting varieties The following deer are rightfully considered: red deer; reindeer or caribou; water deer; David's deer, or milu; white-faced deer; tufted deer; white-tailed deer (Virginian deer); pork deer; South Andean deer; dappled deer.

5. Some species features Deer: The red deer has a white spot above the tailbone and its antlers have a huge number of branches. Reindeer (caribou) have a pronounced upper lip covered with hairline. Both males and females have horns. The water deer has saber-toothed fangs protruding from under its upper lip. David's deer (milu) has long curly hair on its back and a narrow skull, which is atypical for most members of the family.

6. The white-faced deer got its name thanks to the light spots on the neck and front of the head. Also, individuals of this species have white horns. The tufted deer has a black-brown crest, from under which barely noticeable and unbranched antlers protrude. White-tailed deer also have morphological differences in the form of a two-color tail color. Its lower part is white, and its upper part is light brown. The Hog Deer is so named because of its distinct resemblance to the gait of a pig.

Noble deer

7. The most slender body is distinguished by the red deer, which has a proportional build, an elongated neck and a light, slightly elongated head. The eyes of a deer are yellow-brown in color, with deep tear grooves located nearby. The wide forehead is slightly concave. The red deer belongs to the genus true deer and includes 15 subspecies. Representatives of the species are united by a characteristic white spot under the tail, which rises above the tailbone. There is no spotting in the color of red deer in summer.

8. Deer antlers are distinguished by a significant number of branches (especially in European deer), forming a characteristic crown at the end of each antler.

9.Depending on the subspecies, the size of a deer can be 2.5 meters in length and 1.3-1.6 meters at the withers, with a weight of over 300 kilograms (deer and wapiti). A small Bukhara deer weighs just under 100 kilograms and grows to 170-190 centimeters.

10. The red deer lives over a fairly wide area, covering Western European, Scandinavian countries, Algeria, the Moroccan Republic and China, as well as both American continents, Australia and New Zealand.

11. Red deer live in one specific territory in herds of up to 10 individuals, although after the mating season their number can increase to 30.

Reindeer

12. Reindeer is an animal of a squat build, lacking the grace inherent in deer and having a slightly elongated skull shape. The reindeer, or caribou, stands out among its relatives with its upper lip, completely covered with hair, and the presence of horns in individuals of both sexes. The body size of an adult male is 1.9-2.1 meters with a weight of 190 kilograms, a female reindeer (which is also called vazhenka) grows to 1.6-1.9 meters and weighs up to 123 kilograms.

13. Reindeer food: grass that grows in abundance in the tundra, leaves of bushes, mushrooms, various berries. With a lack of protein nutrition, deer find bird nests and eat bird eggs and even young chicks laid in them. Reindeer also eat small rodents– lemmings. The main food for deer in the tundra in winter is reindeer moss. Reindeer compensate for the lack of minerals in their meager food by eating their own antlers, eating sea ​​water or visiting salt marshes.

14. Reindeer live in the tundra and taiga in Eurasia, North America and the islands of the Arctic Ocean. Numerous herds of reindeer live in lowland and mountain taiga regions, grazing in endless tundra and swampy expanses, making spring and winter migrations in search of food.

Water deer

15. The water deer is the only antlerless deer in the family. The dimensions of the species are 75-100 centimeters in length, the height of the deer is 45-55 centimeters, and the body weight is 9-15 kilograms. An adult male deer is distinguished by saber-shaped curved fangs (teeth) that prominently protrude from under the upper lip. The skin is colored brownish-brown.

16.The main food of these deer is leaves of bushes, young green grass, and succulent river sedge. Animals cause significant damage agriculture, making devastating raids on cultivated rice fields and destroying not only weeds, but also crop shoots.

17.Under natural conditions, water deer live in the floodplains of rivers in the eastern and central parts of China and the Korean Peninsula. Antlerless deer were brought to England and France, where they successfully adapted to the local climate. These animals lead a solitary lifestyle, finding a mate only during the rutting period. In search of food, they swim several kilometers, migrating between numerous islands in river deltas.

David's Deer

18. David’s deer, or milu, is rare view deer, which completely died out in nature at the beginning of the 20th century. Nowadays, they are trying to restore the population in Chinese reserves, where the species originally existed. Representatives of the species acquired their name thanks to Armand David, a French priest and naturalist.

19.The body length of this type of adult deer is 150-215 centimeters, height at the withers can reach 140 centimeters, and the weight of the deer reaches 150-200 kilograms. An exceptional feature of this species is that David's deer change their antlers twice a year. These animals have an elongated narrow head, atypical for deer, as well as long curly hair on the body. The food of David's deer consists of grass, young branches and leaves of bushes, sugar cane and a variety of algae.

20. Unfortunately, this species is no longer observed in natural conditions. All known individuals live in nature reserves and zoos. David's deer are animals that lead a herd lifestyle. Even before and after the mating season, they prefer to stay in small groups of up to 10 individuals. During the rut for the right to possess a harem of females, males stage real massacres, using not only horns, but also teeth and forelimbs in the battle.

White-faced deer

21. White-faced deer. A distinctive feature of this species is the high, wide hooves and large white antlers of the deer. The animal has a large body up to 230 centimeters long and an impressive weight of up to 200 kilograms. The height of the deer at the withers is 1.3 meters. This species got its name due to the white coloration of the neck and front of the head.

22.White-faced deer feeds on various herbs growing in spacious alpine meadows. As food, animals happily eat numerous types of clover, meadowsweet, grandiflora beech, angelica and variegated fescue. In addition, they often eat foliage from low-growing bushes.

23. The white-faced deer lives mainly in coniferous forests eastern Tibet and some Chinese provinces. The animals are found in the mountainous regions of the Alps, located at an altitude of more than 3,500 meters above sea level. They form communities, the number of which does not exceed 20 individuals. In search of food, deer often migrate to altitudes of up to 5,000 meters.

Tufted deer

24. Tufted deer. This animal has a black-brown crest on its head, up to 17 centimeters long. Adult deer grow to a size of 110-160 centimeters with a body weight of 17-50 kilograms. The color of a deer can be dark brown or dark gray. The horns are short and unbranched, barely visible from under the crest.

25.In addition to the characteristic plant food, consisting of leaves of trees and shrubs, grass and various berries, tufted deer often eat small carrion, which is the protein component of the diet.

26.These deer live in the territory of Southern and East Asia in forests located at an altitude of more than 4500 meters. Very cautious animals lead a solitary and isolated way of life. They meet with representatives of the opposite sex only during the rutting season. They are most active at dawn or dusk.

White-tailed deer (Virginian deer)

27. White-tailed deer (Virginian deer) is the most common representative of the family and lives in North America.

28. It got its name from the interesting color of its tail, the top of which is brown and the bottom is white. The northern part of the population has a height at the withers of up to 1 meter, and a body weight of about 150 kilograms. Representatives of the population living on the Florida Keys grow up to 60 centimeters at the withers and weigh only 35 kilograms.

29. In spring and summer, these deer eat green growth of bushes or trees, lush grass, and flowering plants. In addition, they raid agricultural fields where they destroy cereal crops. In autumn, deer eat fruits, berries and nuts. In winter, these animals have to make do with fallen leaves and branches.

30.White-tailed deer live on mountain slopes and in vast forests, as well as in the vast expanses of prairies and savannas in South and North America. Most of the time, Virginia deer lead a solitary lifestyle, gathering in small herds only during the mating season.

pig deer

31. The pig deer got its name for its original manner of movement, reminiscent of the movement of a pig. The height of the deer at the withers is 70 centimeters, the length of the body is 110 centimeters, the weight of the deer is about 50 kilograms. This animal has a fluffy tail, males are darker in color than females.

32.These deer live in the flat landscapes of Pakistan, India, Thailand and other countries of South Asia. The species was also introduced to Australia and the USA. These animals lead a solitary lifestyle, rarely gathering in small herds.

33. Hog deer graze mainly at night, preferring to rest during the daytime, hiding in densely overgrown bushes. The deer's diet does not depend on the seasons and consists of a variety of grasses, as well as branches and leaves of low bushes.

South Andean deer

34. South Andean deer. This animal has a stocky build and short legs, adapted to move across mountainous landscapes. Its deer dimensions are 1.4-1.6 meters in length, weight reaches 70-80 kilograms. Height at withers - 80-90 centimeters. The deer's fur is brownish or gray-brown in color with white spots on the throat.

35.These deer live in the mountains of Chile and Argentina, where they live alone, gathering in small groups during the rut. Due to a sharp decline in the population, this species of deer is listed in the International Red Book.

36.The spring and summer diet of this deer consists of a variety of grassy vegetation of meadows. In winter and during snowfalls, they find food in wooded valleys. Here, deer food consists of leaves and young branches of bushes and trees.

Dappled deer

37. Sika deer grows in length up to 1.6-1.8 meters and weighs 75-130 kilograms. The size at the withers is 95-112 centimeters. The summer color of the deer is distinguished by a bright red-fawn color with white spotting; in winter the color fades.

38. Sika deer eat not only mushrooms, nuts, leaves and oak or alder shoots, but also a variety of herbs and berries. In winter, they find fallen leaves, last year's grass and acorns under the snow. In hungry years, sika deer feed on the bark of deciduous trees. Individuals living near the sea coast happily eat algae thrown ashore and restore them with the help of sea ​​salt mineral balance of the body.

39. Sika deer lead a herd lifestyle, gathering in small groups of 10 - 20 individuals. The distribution area of ​​this species covers the plains, mountains and foothills of the northern hemisphere. The sika deer lives in the Far East, central Russia and the Caucasus.

Elk

40.The largest representative of deer and quite large mammal, part of the deer family, is an elk. Adults can reach 2.3 meters in height at the withers and weigh 655 kilograms. The body length of a male moose is about 3 meters. The rather short body of the animal contrasts slightly with the long legs on wide hooves.

41.The muzzle of an elk, compared to other representatives of the deer family, is more elongated, with large, fleshy lips. Regardless of gender, the fur of animals is dark brown, with the belly and legs being much lighter than the back and sides. Moose antlers have a flatter shape than other representatives of the genus. That is why the moose is called “elk”.

42.Moose live in many countries of the Northern Hemisphere; their range occupies a vast strip from the northern borders of the tundra to the forest-steppe regions in the south of Eurasia and North America. They live mainly in impassable thickets or wetlands, although they look for food on forest edges or along river banks. The diet of moose is varied and consists of forbs, mushrooms, berries, algae, tree branches and small shrubs.

Pudu deer

43.The smallest deer in the world is the pudu. There are only two species in the Pudu genus: the Southern Pudu and the Northern Pudu.

44. Pudu is a deer with a short body, the length of which rarely exceeds 90 centimeters, the height at the withers varies from 30 to 40 centimeters, the weight of this deer is from 7 to 10 kilograms, the length of short horns is from 7 to 10 centimeters. The thick short hair of the deer is colored brownish-brown; the back and face are somewhat darker, sometimes almost black.

45. Pudu deer lives in the southern territories of Chile, Ecuador and Peru. The smallest deer in the world feeds on foliage and young branches of bushes and low trees. It does not form large herds, preferring to live alone, less often in pairs.

46. ​​Deer are animals that are quite unpretentious to their environment. They feel great on the plains, and in areas with mountainous terrain, and in wetlands, and in the zone of tundra mosses and lichens.

47. Most species of deer living in temperate latitudes shed their antlers every year. In their place, new ones immediately begin to grow, first consisting of cartilage, then overgrown with bone tissue. A deer's antlers grow depending on its diet: the denser the diet, the faster the antlers grow.

48.Deer living in the tropics do not shed their antlers for years, but the inhabitants equatorial belt don't lose them at all.

49.The main function of a deer’s antlers is protection and attack, and the chances of a particular male individual to emerge victorious in a duel for a female deer depend on their power.

50.Reindeer use their antlers as tools, digging out snow with them to get to moss. The span of the antlers of a seasoned male deer is 120 centimeters.

A beautiful graceful animal, an aristocrat of the forests, the deer is delightful at any time of the year - in summer, when its fur is reddish-brown, in winter, in a grayish-brown coat. The body length reaches 2 m, grows up to 1.4 m, weight – about 200 kg.

Habitats

Red deer live in Europe, North Africa, Asia and North America. Recently acclimatized to Australia and South America. There are 12 known species of deer in the world - Caucasian, Bukhara, wapiti, deer, wapiti, European and others.

Handsome deer live in mixed forests with big amount glades, in mountain forests. They feed on herbaceous, woody, shrub plants and their fruits. They love to feast on acorns, beech nuts, mushrooms, and in winter – winter lichens – arboreal and terrestrial.

Deer live in small families, the leader of the herd is an old doe, but old males live alone.

The red deer is an extremely cautious and sensitive animal, it has well-developed senses of smell, it hears wonderfully, has keen eyes, and swims well. Feeds early in the morning and evening, in daytime resting in a secluded safe place. Often in the sweltering summer heat it plunges into a body of water and hides there for a long time. In winter, deer graze most of the day.

At the end of May - in June, the doe gives birth to 1, very rarely 2 fawns, which quickly rise to their feet - after a week they travel after their mother, who feeds them with milk until the fall. Bright spotted clothing camouflages fawns in the grass; this is the only protection for helpless babies from enemies. Near their mother, the fawns grow up to 2 years old.

Red deer live 12-14 years, and in captivity - about 25-30 years. The main enemies are wolves, lynxes, and sometimes bears. Wolves overtake large adult deer in packs.

A red deer covers a distance of 5-6 m in a jump. It is interesting that animals are more active in severe frosts than in thaws.

On the island of Rhodes in Greece, bronze statues of two deer were erected, which very long ago showed heroism - they trampled a ball with their hooves poisonous snakes and in this way saved people from danger.

Antlers are a unique raw material for medicine

Large branched horns grow on the male's head, which fall off every year and new ones grow in their place. The horn span is over 1 m, and the weight reaches 11-12 kg. Well-developed horns indicate good health and powerful force beast.

Young deer antlers - antlers– soft, covered with thick hair, after growth ends they become ossified.

Antlers are used to make the drug pantocrine, which is used to treat diseases of the nervous system.

Antlers are cut from live deer, so they are bred in special deer farms. The antlers of the Altai maral, one of the subspecies of red deer, are especially valuable.

IN folk medicine medicinal properties antlers have long been known. The water in which the antlers were infused is healing for the treatment of the musculoskeletal system.

Antler powder is used to help patients with skin pathologies, all kinds of muscle diseases, varicose veins, hypertension, gynecological problems, and to strengthen the body during prolonged physical and mental overload.

Infusion recipe:

• 100 g chopped antlers;
• 0.5 liters of strong alcohol or wine.

Infuse for 10 days in a dark place, take 25 g with dinner for 2 weeks. Can be used externally as a rub.

Decoction of antlers and herbs:

Take 1 tablespoon of antlers and medicinal herb, add 0.5 liters of water and cook for 20 minutes. After cooling, drink 100 g four times a day before 6 pm.

In Chinese and Oriental medicine, antlers are considered the elixir of life, improving energy strength and strengthening a person’s will, delaying old age.