English: Fallow Deer; French: Daim; Albanian: Dreri labatar; Bulgarian: Elen Lopator; Croatian: Jelen lanjac; Czech: Danci zver; Danish: Dadyr; Dutch: Damhert; Estonian: Hirvpoder; Finnish: Kuusipeura; Greek: Platoni; Hebrew: Jachmur; Hungarian: Damszarvas; Iranian: Jachmur; Irish: Fia bui (Ban) (fionn); Italian: Daino; Lettish: Dambriedis; Lithuanian: Danielius; Montenigrin: Elen lopator; Norwegian: Dadyr; Polish: Danile; Romanian: Cerb lopator; Serb: Jelen lopator; Slovakian: Danielia Zver; Slovenian: Damjek; Turkish: Alageyik, Jigin, Yagmurca.
Former distribution: All Mediterranean countries of Europe and North Africa.
Present distribution: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, CSSR, Denmark, UK, France, FRG, GDR, Greece, Ireland, Italy (not in Sardinia), Holland, Norway, Finland, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Spain, Switzerland, Sweden, Hungary, USSR, Turkey. Introduced into Cyprus, Tunisia, Madagascar, South Africa, USA (Alabama, Colorado, Georgia, California, Kentucky, Massachusetts, Nebraska, New Mexico, Texas), Central America (Barbados, Cuba), South America (Argentina, Chile, Peru), Australia (New South Wales, Queensland, South Australia, Victoria, Tasmania), Fiji Islands, New Zealand (South Island, North Island, North Auckland, South Auckland).
Behaviour: Preferred habitat: open deciduous and mixed woodlands with good shelter and undergrowth. Gregarious, the adult bucks form bachelor groups and live apart from the doe herds until the rut begins. The number in the herd varies with the time of the year. Grazing and browsing, the diet includes grasses, herbs, shoots, leaves and forest fruits. The rut takes place at the end of October continuing to the middle of November. Predators are lynxes and wolves.
Population status: The population worldwide is estimated at up to 200 000. The Fallow Deer in Turkey still need strong protection and good management, even if the total population has increased from 100 (1969) to 600 today (in lit. HEIDEMANN 1987).
Brief notes:
Body weight: 100-200 kg
Head and body length: 130-230 cm
Tail length: 15-20 cm
Shoulder height: 80-120 cm
Gestation period: 7 months
Maximum age: 20 years
Trophy: Record CIC: 221.53 points, DK Jaegersborg, K. WAAGE SØRENSEN, and 220.31 points, Hungary, GYULAJI JANOS KADAR; average. SCI: 281 3/8 score, USA, Texas, BILLIE DUNCAN; average 160 points.
Hunting methods: Stalking, high seat, driving, and from a hide.
Subspecies: 1
Remarks: One of the best examples of international conservation by hunters – the Fallow Deer, once restricted to regions around the Mediterranean, are now widespread all over the world. In the future, Fallow Deer may play a leading role in meat production.
