Mammals
Fallow deer
Dama dama
The fallow deer is a medium-sized deer recognisable by its white-spotted summer coat and by the males' broad, flattened "palmate" antlers, unique among European deer. It has been spread for centuries by humans.
In short
The fallow deer (Dama dama) is a species with IUCN conservation status LC (Least concern). It favours open woodland interspersed with meadows and edge habitats, where it grazes grass, acorns and shoots. Animals in Black offers a fine-art portrait of it on a black background, available as a print on Hahnemühle paper: request the print.
Habitat & conservation
Where does the fallow deer live?
It favours open woodland interspersed with meadows and edge habitats, where it grazes grass, acorns and shoots. It lives in groups that, during the rut, gather in arenas where males challenge each other with belling calls.
Is the fallow deer endangered?
The IUCN Red List rates it Least Concern (LC). Across most of its range it is abundant and often introduced; the native eastern-Mediterranean populations are more localised.
Facts about the fallow deer
- It has broad, flattened palmate antlers, unique among European deer.
- Its summer coat is spotted with white.
- It has been spread worldwide by humans since antiquity.
Data source: IUCN Red List — Dama dama (Least Concern)
RED List
Conservation status codes
- EX Extinct No individuals survive.
- EW Extinct in the wild Survives only in captivity.
- CR Critically endangered Extremely high risk of extinction.
- EN Endangered Very high risk of extinction.
- VU Vulnerable High risk of extinction.
- NT Near threatened Likely to become threatened soon.
- LC Least concern Low risk of extinction.
- DD Data deficient Not enough data to assess.
- NE Not evaluated Not yet assessed by the IUCN.