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Fallow deer were introduced for hunting by the
Normans nearly 1000 years ago and are now widespread throughout the UK.
The males have characteristic large, flat antlers, called palmate
antlers, which they shed every year between April and June. Their fur is
usually reddish-brown and spotted in summer and thicker and greyer, with
less distinct spots, in winter. They have a relatively long tail with a
dark stripe running along it.
Fallow deer are sociable animals and usually live in
herds of up to 50 or more, although the groups are generally unisex. The
male and female herds come together in autumn to mate. During the rut,
males scrape the ground with their antlers to mark their territory,
establish their status and clash antlers with persistent rivals. Fallow
deer can easily be confused with Sika deer
because they both have pale spots along their backs, but Sika
do not have palmate antlers.
Habitat:
Fallow deer inhabit deciduous
woodlands, marshes and meadows. Fallow
deer are the deer most frequently kept in parks.
Status and distribution:
Fallow
deer
are currently the most
widely distributed deer species found wild in the UK and can now be
found in practically all counties of England and Wales. Herds will also
be found in a number of Scottish districts and are resident on the
islands of Mull, Islay and Scarba
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