ANIMAL HIGHLIGHT

Fallow deer are medium-sized, highly adaptable deer known for their uniquely broad, palmate (hand-shaped) antlers and naturally occurring  variety in coat color. Originally native to the Mediterranean region and Asia Minor, they have been introduced by humans to every inhabited continent and are now one of the most widespread deer species in the world.  

Physical Characteristics

• Antlers: Only males (bucks) grow antlers, which are distinctively flattened and spade-like toward the ends, resembling a hand with outstretched fingers. They are shed annually in the spring (typically April or May) and regrown by late summer.
• Coat Colors: Fallow deer exhibit four primary color phases:
  • Common: Chestnut-brown with white spots in summer, turning a solid grayish-brown without spots in winter.
  • Menil: Lighter tan/ginger with distinct white spots that remain visible year-round.
  • Melanistic: Dark brown to nearly black, often appearing as a solid color without visible spots.
  • Leucistic: Pure white to creamy-white, though they are not true albinos as they have dark eyes and noses.
• Size: Adult bucks are slightly bigger than our native, Edwards Plateau, Whitetail, typically weighing between 130–220 lbs and stand aa bit taller than our Whitetail. Females (does) are smaller, usually weighing around 100 lbs. 

Behavior and Diet

• Diet: They are primarily grazers, feeding on grasses and herbs, but they are flexible and will browse on tree shoots, leaves, bark, acorns, and fungi depending on the season and availability.
• Social Structure: They are gregarious animals that usually live in separate herds of males and females for most of the year. Large groups of up to 150 individuals may form in open areas or deer parks.
• The Rut: The mating season (rut) occurs in the fall (peaking in October in the Northern Hemisphere). During this time, bucks become highly vocal, producing deep, guttural groans or "belches" to attract females and defend their territories. 

Distribution and Status

• Native & Introduced: While native to Turkey and parts of the Mediterranean, they were famously introduced to Britain by the Romans and later the Normans. Significant wild and managed populations now exist in the United States, notably Texas, Australia, and New Zealand.
• Persian Fallow Deer: A closely related species (or subspecies), the Persian fallow deer (Dama mesopotamica), is much rarer and currently classified as Endangered, found only in small wild populations in Iran and Israel.