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Good nose
"Did you know that red deer can smell tremendously well? They can even smell you from 300 meters away!"
Discover in real lifeHabitat:
Europe and Asia
Food:
Grass, roots. fruits, tree bark and more
Lifespan:
Between 15 and 20 years old
Weight:
Between 150 and 255 pounds
Number of young:
1 young
Gestation period:
8.5 months
To see:
Along boat safari, car safari and bus safari
IUCN status:
Safe
EEP:
No
About the red deer
The red deer (Cervus elaphus) is the second largest deer in Europe after the moose and lives in large parts of Europe and Asia. Males wear impressive antlers that can reach 90 centimeters in length. Each year they lose these antlers, after which a new one immediately begins to grow. Within about five months it is fully back, often just slightly larger than the previous one. This allows a female, a doe, to see how strong and healthy a buck is. In the Netherlands, the red deer lives naturally in the wild and you can also encounter a herd in the Safari Park.
Habitat and threats
The red deer can be found in and large part of Europe and Asia, from the vast steppes of Mongolia to the forests of the Veluwe. In Europe, they live from Spain and England to Scandinavia. Red deer feel at home in varied landscapes with both dense forests and open plains, where they can find food and shelter. They are very adaptable and live both in dry deciduous forests and moors and in wetlands such as fens and marshes. In mountainous regions, they even migrate above the tree line.
Originally red deer also occurred throughout the Netherlands, but today they live here only in a few nature reserves such as the Veluwe, the Oostvaardersplassen and the Weerterbos. These areas are carefully managed to maintain a healthy population. For their survival, the presence of sufficient food and drinking water is very important. Without these basic conditions, the animals cannot reproduce and expand their habitat.
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Species conservation in Beekse Bergen
Fortunately, the status of the red deer is least concern. But, unfortunately, many of the species you see in Beekse Bergen are endangered and struggling in their native habitats. Did you know that more than 10,000 animal species in the world are in danger of extinction? Together we can help them, with big, or small steps. Want to know how?