Elephant Puppets Fallow Deer Update 🦌
5Elephant Puppets Fallow Deer Update 🦌
The European fallow deer (Dama dama), also known as the common fallow deer or simply fallow deer, is a species of ruminant mammal belonging to the family Cervidae. It is historically native to Türkiye and possibly the Italian Peninsula, Balkan Peninsula, and the island of Rhodes in Europe. Prehistorically native[2] to and introduced into a larger portion of Europe, it has also been introduced to other regions in the world. Body size is important during male-male agonistic interactions and endurance rivalry, while females tend to have a preference for larger males.[61] Dominance rank is a good indicator of body size and body mass, but age was not an important factor.[59] In a study done by McElligott et al. (2001), it was found that success was related to body size, pre-rut and rut rank.[59]
Deer antlers are actually made of bone. All the UK’s species grow antlers except the Chinese water deer. Red deer grow the largest antlers, which can reach an impressive three feet in length and have 15 points or more. Muntjac antlers are the smallest, often growing no longer than 10cm. Only males grow antlers, which are shed and regrown each year. When they first emerge, antlers are covered in a soft, hairy-like material known as velvet. This provides oxygen and nutrients to the bone, helping it to grow rapidly. Velvet is eventually shed by rubbing the antlers against a tree. By this point the antlers have completely hardened and are ready to be used in fights between deer. Red, fallow, sika and roe deer all use their antlers to fight for access to females. When ready to breed, rival males will lock antlers, pushing and twisting until the weaker of the two flees, leaving the victor free to mate. This behaviour is known as rutting. Muntjac use their antlers to fight, but also use the tusks that protrude from their mouth as weapons. The antler-less Chinese water deer relies solely on its tusks , antlers may also be used to defend against predators.