Deer are mammals that form the family Cervidae.
Deer is a large family and includes: white-tailed
deer, mule deer such as black-tailed deer, elk,
moose, red deer, reindeer, caribou, fallow deer,
roe deer and chital. There are approximately 63
species of deer.
Other Names: Stag, Buck, Doe, Fawn,
Deer in Foreign Languages:
Albanian: dre / sutë / drenushë
Armenian: egjeru / egnik
Bosnian: jelen / košuta
Breton: karv / kirvi
Czech: jelen / lan
Finnish: hirvieläin / hirvi
French: cerf / chevreuil
Icelandic: hjörtur / krónhjörtur
Indonesian: kijang / rusa / menjangan
Irish: fia / fia rua / os
Italian: cervo / alce / renna /
daino / capriolo
Latin: ceruus / cervus / cerva
Lithuanian: elnias / elne
Maltese: cerf / cerf l-ahmar
Old Church Slavonic: jeleni
Old French: cerf
Old Irish: fíad
Portuguese: veado/ cervo
Romanian: cerb / ciuta / caprioara
Sardinian: crebu / crefu / cherbu
Scottish Gaelic: fiadh
Slovenian: jelen / košuta
Spanish: ciervo / venado
Swedish: hjort / hjortdjur
Vietnamese: huou / nai
Welsh: carw / hydd
Size: Male deer are typically much larger than
their female counterparts. The smallest deer is known
as the Pudu. The Pudu is 13 - 15 inches tall at the
shoulder and they weigh only 18 lbs. The largest deer
is actually the moose. The moose stands 8-10 feet and
weighs over 1000 lbs.
Habitat: Deer are widely distributed, with
indigenous representatives in all continents except
Antarctica and Australia. Deer live in a variety of
habitats from tundra to the tropical rainforest. Deer
also live on the edge of habitats including the edges
of: forests, thickets, prairies and savannahs.
Description: Deer are velvety soft and have
long legs, with split hooves. The deer have slender
Diet: Deer are herbivores, they will eat grass,
leaves, lichens, moss, stems, shoots, berries, herbs,
acorns, mushrooms, wild fruit and crops. Deer will regurgitate
their food, and chew it a second time.
Senses: Deer have an excellent sense of hearing.
Deer can hear higher frequencies of sound than humans.
Deer have good vision, and night vision. Deer have an
excellent sense of smell.
Communication: Deer use bellows, grunts,
and snortingas a means of communication.
Did You Know?
Male deer of all species with the exception
of the Chinese water deer grow and shed
new antlers each year.
Gestation: Deer will carry their young from
5-10 months depending on the species.
Birth: Deer give birth to litters of 1-3 babies.
Young deer will stay with their mother for approximately
the first 1-2 years of their lives.
Life Span: The average life span of a
deer is 20 years. Wolves, bears, tigers, jaguars,
and pumas are all predators of deer.
Did You Know?
Deer are able to run up to 40 mph and
they can jump 10 feet high.
Social Structure: Deer will remain in groups
or herds, that typically consist of female relatives.