Scientific name: Dama dama

There are six species of deer currently living wild in Britain. These are Red deer (Cervus elaphus), Roe deer (Capreolus capreolus), Fallow deer (Dama dama), Muntjac (Muntiacus reevesi), Sika (Cervus nippon) and Chinese water deer (Hydropotes inermis).

Fallow Deer are a naturalised species in the United Kingdom having originated in the Mediterranean and the Middle East. Many references put their introduction down to the Normans in the 11th century where they were used to stock the Royal Forests for hunting purposes. However recent finds at Fishbourne Roman Palace show that Fallow Deer were introduced into southern England in the 1st century AD by the Romans. Whether some of these escaped to form a feral colony, or whether they died out and were reintroduced by the Normans is not known. Nowadays there is a free living population throughout the United Kingdom, although more widespread in England and Wales than in Scotland. Their preferred habitat is mixed woodland and open grassland where they roam in herds of up to 150. Larger than Roe Deer but smaller than Red Deer, the stags have large multi-point antlers which they use during the rut to fight each other for females, injuries are however rare. Although there are widespread colour variations, most have tan coats with white spots on the flanks and a white rump patch outlined with a black border. The white spots fade, or may even disappear, in winter.