This article is about interesting facts about deer. Deer are a type of wild animal that is in the family Cervidae. Besides, it belongs to the order Artiodactyla, which means that it is a mammal with two small and two large hooves on each foot. Moreover, there are about 50 different kinds of them, including the reindeer, red deer, elk, white-tailed deer, and moose. Furthermore, these animals were first found on continents like Asia, North America, Northern Africa, Europe, and South America. Later, they were brought to places like the Republic of South Africa, New Zealand, and Australia.
They also stand out from the other ruminants because almost all their species have antlers. Moreover, these are structures that grow from the head and don’t have Keratin like true horns do. At the same time, they live in places with lots of woods, especially ones with rough terrain. This may be why they have long, strong legs and small, flexible bodies to help them survive in these places.
Let’s start with some interesting facts about deer that you might not know yet.
11 facts about deer
#Fact 1: Eyes are on the side of a deer’s head.
This gives them a wide field of vision of 310 degrees, which makes it nearly impossible for them to focus on a single point. However, they have very good night vision, which helps them find food and escape danger.
#Fact 2: Deer walks together in groups called herds.
They are social animals. They can walk as men or women, or a strong man can lead them. A male herd can keep an eye on a herd of females. Up to 100,000 animals could be in the herd.
#Fact 3: Deer have their own ways of talking.
They talk to each other through sight, sound, and chemicals. They give off a scent from different parts of their bodies that tells them important things like their size, sex, social status, and whether or not there is danger nearby.
#Fact 4: Deer both have one mate and have more than one.
Most species have a short breeding season, so they have different traits. For example, a male may have a territory with one or more females, several males may work together to protect a harem (a group of females), or they may just go to different herds to find mates.
#Fact 5: Some of the antlers grow in the spring.
In areas with a temperate climate, these animals grow antlers covered with velvet, a type of skin with many nerves and blood vessels. Thus, when the antlers grow fully, they fall off. The antlers are important to males, especially during mating season, because they help them win over females. This makes it yet other facts among several scary facts about deer.
#Fact 6: Fawns do not have a scent that can be detected.
Predators can’t smell fawns, which makes it easier for them to stay hidden. Moreover, mothers stay with their young for one to two years, feeding them up to six times a day and hiding them in safe places while they are still young.
#Fact 7: The antlers of Chinese water deer are absent.
Because they are the only species without antlers, they must rely on particularly long canine teeth to impress potential female mates.
#Fact 8: The only domestic deer is the reindeer.
Our list of interesting facts about deer is incomplete without reindeer. It is the only domesticated animal that can survive with people, and spends its entire life in the wild, unlike the other species.
#Fact 9: The largest deer species that ever lived was the Irish elk.
It was the largest known animal despite being extinct (the last one was present over 11 000 years ago), standing 7 feet tall at the shoulders and with antlers that were 12 feet from tip to tip. Besides, the Pudu can only grow to a height of 32cm.
#Fact 10: The environment relies heavily on deer, who are a vital component.
Many wild creatures, including people, hunt them, making them a vital part of the food chain.
#Fact 11: Antlers on deer grow so quickly.
The antlers of cervids consist of the fastest-growing tissues anywhere on Earth.
We hope that you got to know several facts about deer that you didn’t know before.
Keep reading: 17 FACTS ABOUT FROGS YOU HAVE NEVER HEARD OF!
Parvaiz Yousuf is a senior SEO writer and editor with an experience of over 6 years, who also doubles up as a researcher. With an MSc zoology degree under his belt and possessing complete Search Engine Optimization (SEO) knowledge, he works as a science journalist for a US-based website and Asian Scientist (A Singapore-based magazine). He also works as Director of Wetland Research Centre, Wildlife Conservation Fund YPJK since 2018. Besides, he has several publications to his name on cancer biology and biochemistry in some reputed journals such as Nature & International Journal of Molecular Sciences, & magazines such as Science Reporter, BUCEROS BNHS, and has an abiding interest in ornithology. He also worked as a Research Associate for JK Policy Institute.
