In many nations, deer is a sacred animal, for example, among the Celts it was considered a symbol of vitality, the sun and fertility. He was personified with the god Cernunnos. In medieval heraldry, the image of this artiodactyl symbolized moderation and grace. Deer horns have healing properties and are the raw material for the production of various medicines. The name of this beast is of Old Slavic origin. The article will talk about the numerous varieties of deer, and will also give a brief description of some of its most interesting representatives. Each species is well adapted to life in harsh conditions. It is hard to believe, but man is considered his main enemy. Many species are listed in the Red Book, and most of them are completely exterminated.
general information
In the Deer family, three subfamilies are deer:
- real ones, or of the Old World;
- water;
- New World.
In addition, there are fifty-one species. Each deer species has its own appearance and habits that help them adapt and survive in different conditions - from deserts to arctic tundra. There are both small animals, the size of a hare, and large individuals weighing more than three hundred kilograms.
Horns are recognized as their main feature; in another way they are also called antlers. Males use them in fights during the mating season. Depending on the species, the size and shape differs:
- Caribou (reindeer) - owners of horns for both female and male individuals.
- Water deer - antlers are completely absent.
They live mainly in herds, although there are loners among them. The duration of the mating season depends on the habitat:
- temperate latitudes - autumn, winter;
- tropics - all year round.
The female carries the calf for six to nine months. Basically one or two deer are born.
The basis of the artiodactyl diet is herbaceous plants. In the summer months they prefer:
- chestnuts;
- berries;
- fruit;
- mushrooms;
- shoots and leaves of trees;
- nuts.
In winter, to quench their thirst, they eat snow, and also eat:
- acorns;
- lichens;
- branches and bark;
- horsetail.
Do not disdain algae, crabs and fish. With a lack of minerals, they can gnaw on raw earth and their own discarded horns.
Deer of the Old World
The greatest variety is shown by real deer, the varieties of which are estimated at three dozen. Among them are species such as:
- noble;
- white-faced;
- pork;
- spotted;
- David;
- barassing;
- crested;
- axis;
- Schomburgka;
- muntzhaka;
- Zambara
- Kulya;
- doe;
- tameng;
- Kalamian.
Red deer is the most famous, one of the most beautiful and stately animals of this family, living in a large territory - Scandinavian, Western European countries, on two American continents, in China, Algeria, etc. The main condition for the place of residence is the presence of a freshwater reservoir nearby. They live in herds, in which there are up to ten individuals, and after the mating season, their number increases and reaches thirty. A characteristic feature of the species is a white spot located under the tail, the absence of spotting in the summer. Antlers are distinguished by a large number of branches, which at the end of each horn form a kind of crown. Depending on the species of deer, the photo of which is presented in the article, the weight of the animal is different. For example, vapiti and maral have a body weight in excess of 300, and Bukhara deer - less than 100 kg. In food, they prefer herbs, legumes and cereals. In the winter months, tree bark, shoots of trees and shrubs, mushrooms, chestnuts, fallen leaves are eaten. In addition, with a lack of food, they do not hesitate to eat acorns, pine and spruce needles, lichens. Visited by artificial and natural salt marshes.
Deer species: names
Deer of the New World from brothers is somewhat different in the structure of the bones of the fingers. List of representatives of these animals:
- mazama;
- marsh;
- black-tailed;
- roe deer;
- pampasny;
- pudu;
- Elk;
- South Andean;
- white-tailed or virgin
- Peruvian;
- caribou or northern.
In appearance, Virginia differs from its noble relative by grace and smaller size. He received his interesting name for the original color of the tail, the bottom of which is white and the top is brown. White-tailed deer living on the Florida Keys Islands weigh no more than 35 kg, and their representatives, who prefer the northern regions, weigh 150 kg. Most of the time, individuals lead a solitary lifestyle and gather in herds for the mating season. In search of food, they destroy cereal crops, raiding agricultural fields. In winter, they eat fallen leaves and tree branches, in autumn - nuts and berries, in summer and autumn - flowering plants, lush grass.
Ears are considered a feature of black-tailed deer - they are simply huge. Therefore, it is often called the larger ear, or donkey.
Caribou, or northern, included in the list of varieties of deer, is considered particularly interesting. This is the only species in which antlers wear both sexes. In addition, it is distinguished by the upper lip, which is completely covered with hair, as well as a thick layer of subcutaneous fat, thick fur. The squat animal, has a slightly elongated skull, does not have grace, like other members of the family. The next feature is herding, gathering in rather large groups, they more easily tolerate the harsh living conditions in the taiga and tundra.
How a restored caribou species is listed in the Russian Red Book.
Reindeer Species
The following varieties of reindeer living in Eurasia are distinguished:
- Okhotsk;
- Novaya Zemlya
- European;
- Siberian tundra;
- dwelling on the Spitsbergen archipelago;
- Siberian Forest;
- Barguzinsky.
Reindeers are public animals. They graze in huge herds. For many years, reindeer herds migrate on the same route. Moreover, overcoming a distance of five hundred or more kilometers is not difficult for them. They are good swimmers and are easily melted across by water.
Scandinavian deer, on the contrary, avoid forests.
Siberian deer prefer to spend winters in the forests. At the end of May they move to the tundra, in which there are fewer insects (gadflies, mosquitoes) and more food. They return to the forest in August-September.
The caribou deer in April begins to move from the forest to the sea. In October, comes back.
From plants, they eat reindeer moss, which is the basis of nutrition for a long nine months. Throwing snow with hooves and having a good sense of smell, they easily find mushrooms, berry bushes. To quench their thirst, they eat snow. In addition, they are able to eat adult birds, their eggs, small rodents. To maintain the salt balance, they drink a lot of sea water, gnaw at the discarded horns and visit salt marshes. If there are not enough minerals in the body, then they can bite each other's horns.
The mating season begins in mid-October and lasts a month and a half. After eight months, offspring appear. For two years, the cub is with the mother. Reindeers live for about twenty-five years.
They get along well with people. They have a calm disposition and quickly get used to the new conditions of existence.
Shaggy, or is moose a kind of deer?
Moose and deer are considered close relatives. However, in lifestyle, appearance, they differ from other representatives of the Olenev family. Due to the differences, they were distinguished into a separate species, which forms several subspecies: East Siberian, Ussuri, Alaskan, etc. The moose has its own characteristics of the external structure:
- massive croup;
- powerful chest;
- long and thin legs;
- large hooves;
- the head is hunchy and large, with an overhanging fleshy upper lip;
- the body and neck are short.
On the front legs there are pointed hooves. This makes it possible to use them as weapons in battles with predators. One hit with them is enough to rip open the enemy’s stomach or break the skull.
Sokhaty is a species of large deer, i.e. it is recognized as the largest artiodactyl of this family. Its body weight is from 360 to 600 kg. In some territories, males weighing 650 kg are found. Females are slightly smaller, but also look impressive.
The structure of the horns, the span of which is up to one and a half meters or more and weight over 20 kg, is also of interest. They develop in the horizontal plane, and at the ends there are shovel-shaped flat branches. Horns appear by the age of one and a half years, and by five they are already finally formed. Every year, adults discard them. Moreover, in each new season, one additional protrusion is formed on the processes.
They live in couples or families along with growing young ones. Under adverse conditions, they can stray into herds, but this lasts a short period. They are excellent swimmers and can get food without going ashore. They love to feast on algae, moss and branches of coastal shrubs.
Small views
In the inaccessible forests of Ecuador, Chile and Peru, you can find the smallest species of deer - pudu. He has a short body, about 90 cm, height not more than 35 cm, and weight does not exceed 10 kg. The animal has a small head located on a short neck and oval-shaped small ears that are covered with thick and dense hair. Outward resemblance to other representatives of deer is doubtful. However, on his head he has subtle horns, completely hidden by hairs, and forming a small crest.
They live alone, and form pairs only during the breeding season. These are rather cautious animals, and in the wild they are difficult to find. The species is threatened with extinction, as tasty meat made it a desirable prey for poachers and predators. The color of the smallest species of deer is gray-brown with fuzzy spots. The animal eats algae, young shoots, foliage of trees and shrubs, juicy herbs, fruits that fell to the ground. To enjoy the juicy tops of tall trees, he stands on his hind legs and bends them.
The mating season lasts about two months. A baby is born seven months later. Often this event falls on the first summer days. The baby is growing rapidly, and after three months it can not be distinguished in size from an adult deer. Full release from the horns is carried out after another seven months. By this time he is approaching puberty. Life expectancy is not more than ten years. Two species of the smallest pudu deer are known - these are northern and southern. They differ little among themselves. However, the first is a bit larger. They have a short smooth coat, the color scheme of which is from reddish to dark brown. The body is rounded, spiked horns, short legs.
Amazing deer without horns
These animals look like roe deer, live in swamps, along the banks of ponds, located in dense grassy thickets. What types of deer do not have horns? The only hornless representative in the family is the water deer. The main distinguishing feature of the species is fangs, which have mobility and are located on the upper jaw. When the artiodactyl eats, then he removes them, and in any danger puts forward.
They live one by one, they do not like strangers on their territory, therefore they mark it. Meet with the opposite sex only for the rutting period. They swim well and, in search of a new haven, are able to overcome more than one kilometer by water. They prefer to eat juicy river sedge, young green grass, and foliage of shrubs. They raid rice fields, causing damage to agriculture.
Maral
What kind of animals are these? The opinions of zoologists were divided: some believe that this is a special type of deer, which is called Manchurian deer in eastern Siberia and wapiti in North America. And others say that deer are a species of red deer. From which it differs by the larger size of the horns, the color of the coat, large growth and shorter tail length. The species has groups: Siberian, or Maral, Central Asian and Western. This is a very beautiful animal with its head bowed proudly.
The proud posture testifies to the rebellious disposition and great strength. Horns with many branches grow up to 108 cm. The weight of the males is about 300 kg, the females are slightly smaller. In size, this is the second animal after the moose. They begin to breed quite late. Males prefer the formation of a harem in which a maximum of five females begin at the age of five, and the females are able to bring offspring by three years of age.
Altai maral is a species of red deer, it is most famous in our country. It is massively bred to obtain raw materials, which are maral horns. Pantocrine drug is made from them.
Rare and endangered species
Some species of deer are on the verge of extinction, and this despite the fact that they quite easily adapt to different conditions of existence:
- Vulnerable - Indian, Filipino, maned zambar, white-faced deer, barassing.
- Endangered - spotted Filipino, deer lyre.
The rarest breed, which is on the verge of extinction, is considered a white deer. This is a fairly large animal with developed horns. The white color is inherited, thanks to it they become easy prey, as they are very noticeable in the forest. Hiding from predators, they are able to swim several tens of kilometers a day.
A very rare species of deer (photo you will find in the article), which is a relative of the red deer, is recognized as mila, or the deer of David. Under natural conditions, it can not be found, since it lives and breeds only in zoos in China. Experts attribute it to the swamp species. Its feature is the change of horns, which occurs twice a year. It is listed in the Red Book of the World.
A rare wildlife species is the Virginian, or White-tailed, deer - a species of American deer that lives in the territory from Canada to the northern part of South America. Three subspecies are listed in the IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature) Red Data Book.
Sika and red deer belong to species that currently do not cause any concern.
Scientists attribute the reduction in the number of endangered and rare species of deer to the fact that they are endemic animals, that is, living in a limited area. Therefore, any, even minor changes in their conditions of existence, associated with a natural or other factor, jeopardize their existence.
Conclusion
After reading the article, you met with beautiful animals. The most interesting varieties of deer, photos and names of which are in the article, are:
- noble;
- northern;
- water;
- sweetheart;
- white-faced;
- crested - the owner of short and unbranched horns;
- white-tailed;
- pig - this name was assigned to him for an unusual manner of movement, resembling a pig. And also he has a fluffy tail;
- spotted - white spots look very impressive on the coat of red color.
The Olenev family is diverse, among them there are representatives small and huge, endowed with an exceptional color, the absence of horns, and also with luxurious antlers. These animals live in any climatic zones, they can be found in all corners of the Earth. In natural conditions, they have many enemies, and snowy winters also influence their numbers. A thick layer of snow makes food extraction and movement difficult. The exception is the reindeer, which is perfectly adapted to travel in harsh winter conditions. All varieties of deer are unique, worthy of protection and attention.