Deers are graceful and pretty animals, characterized by their well-known brownish -to-golden fur color with some white spots, and they have a beautiful and strong ringed horns. They belong to the antelope family.
Deers live in dry weather and
open place such as deserts and pastures and they can travel between mountainous and rainforests. They also live in large herds to protect themselves from danger of predators.
There are more than 60 different species of deer around the world, living around all different continents except In the Antarctica. The red Barbary deer is the only species found to live in Africa.
Here is the most important information you may need to know about deers
Antlers:
All deer species have antlers, except the Chinese water deer where instead of horns, they have long teeth that can reach 8 cm in length. Deers antlers shed and grow back every year. As they grow back, antlers get covered fur that is rich in nerves and blood vessels to allow a quick growing.
At the mating season, deers tend to fight with each other using their antlers, and winner is whoever overcomes the opponent. Roar of some deers at fights can be heard loudly to attract females.
Pregnancy duration:
The average age of deers is 10 to 12 years and their pregnancy duration varies according to their actual size, the gestation period is longer for the larger species. In general, the average gestation period for a deer is about six months. A female deer gives birth to one or two babies and hide them away from everyone, for days or even weeks until they get grown enough and able to join the herd.
Most of babies deers have white spots that disappear as soon as they grow up. These spots help them blend in with the rest of the herd, they also have no scent so predators can’t recognize them.
Physical characteristics:
Deers are characterised for their strong physique, they can jump up to 10 feet hight, they’re also remarkably good at swimming. The herd lives within a range that reaches up to 30 miles, moving all around looking for food.
Since their eyes are on the side of the head, they have a vision of 310 degrees, which is much more than human vision which is at 180 degrees only. They also have very good night vision especially at late night time where they get more active.
Nutrition:
Deer are herbivores, which means they only eat plants. They usually prefer to eat grasses, leaves, and plant buds. Besides, some species can live their entire lives without drinking any water.
Energy: Deers are known for their extreme speed, especially when fleeing from predators. They often make a high jump with solid legs. This may sound strange, because these high bounces make them more visible to the predators. Scientists have found several possible explanations to this, such as alerting other herd members of the danger or trying to avoid any trap might be hidden between the tall grass. Some researches found out that these jumps are like a form of communication between deers and predators and might ne an honest signal to show off their power and fitness, as it may discourage predator catch them.
