Red Deer

red deer

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red deer, (Cervus elaphus), well-known deer, in the family Cervidae (order Artiodactyla), that is native to North America, Europe, Asia, and northwestern Africa and was introduced into New Zealand. The red deer has long been hunted for both sport and food. Found primarily in woodlands, it lives in sexually segregated herds except during the breeding season, when the males (harts) fight for harems of females (hinds). A large animal, the red deer stands about 1.2 metres (4 feet) tall at the shoulder. Its coat is reddish brown, darkening to grayish brown in winter, with lighter underparts and a light rump. The hart has long, regularly branched antlers bearing a total of 10 or more tines; an animal with 12 tines is known as a “Royal,” and one with 14 tines is a “Wilson.”

The International Union for Conservation of Nature classifies the red deer as a species of least concern; however, it considers some of the approximately 20 subspecies threatened because of hunting pressure and habitat loss. Some subspecies from North America and Eurasia have also declined because of interbreeding with nonnative red deer subspecies. The elk, or wapiti (Cervus elaphus canadensis), is the largest subspecies of red deer.