WILDLIFE – ROE DEER

The Roe Deer – Capreolus capreolus

The Roe deer our most common native deer, Capreolus capreolus is a regular visitor here at the Meadow Hide. One of the true native deer of the British Isles, the other being the Red deer . Records of them date to before the Mesolithic period (6000 to 10000 years BC). Roe deer are particularly associated with the edges of woodlands and forests. They are also found in areas with copses and hedgerows and use agricultural fields in these areas too. They are increasingly entering areas closer to our towns and cities as they take advantage of more urban habitats.

The Roe deer is also known as the Western roe deer, European roe, or roebuck

Roe deer are easily recognisable , when fully grown they weigh up to 25kg. Like other deer species male roe are called bucks and females are does and the young are called kids. Roe vary in coat colour throughout the year, being most distinguishable in the summer when their coats are bright rusty red. In winter, their coats turn a dull, slate grey colour. Both sexes have a prominent white rump and no visible tail. Females have a small ‘tush’ or tuft of hair similar to a tail at the base of the rump patch during the winter. Roe deer have large black eyes, noses, and mouths surrounded by white/pale areas. They have large ears. Males have small antlers, which have three points each when fully grown. The average lifespan is around 10 years in the wild. They are abundant throughout the UK but are not found in Northern Ireland.

Roe deer are known for their impressive speed when running. They reach speeds of up to 37 mph (60 km/h).

Roe deer are primarily browsers, feeding on the leaves , shoots , grass and the buds of trees and shrubs , as well as herbs and heather. They are selective feeders, preferring nutrient-rich plants and often choosing from a wide variety of options. In addition to their typical diet, roe deer may also consume fruits, berries, and fungi when available, and in times of scarcity, they may even eat tree bark.

The rut, or breeding season, occurs between mid-July to mid-August. Bucks become aggressive and maintain exclusive territories around one or more does prior to the rut. Fights between bucks can result in serious injury or death with the winner taking over the loser’s territory or attendant doe. Courtship involves chasing between the buck and doe for some time until the doe is ready to mate. Although mating occurs in this period the fertilised egg does not implant and grow until January. This is thought to be an adaptation to avoid giving birth during harsh northern winters. The gestation period is nine months with usually two or three kids being born May – June. Roe does do not maintain exclusive territories but live within overlapping home ranges. Males mate with several females and females mating with several males has also been observed.

Roe deer are widespread in Europe, from the Mediterranean to Scandinavia, from Scotland to the Caucasus, and east to northern Iran and Iraq.

Roe deer are solitary, but may form small groups in winter. They are active throughout the 24-hour period but make more use of open spaces during the hours of darkness in populations experiencing frequent disturbance. Peak times of activity are at dawn and dusk. Long periods are spent ‘lying up’ where the deer lies down to ruminate between feeding bouts. Both sexes make dog-like barking noises when startled or alarmed. During the breeding season does attract bucks with a high-pitched piping call. Bucks respond with a rasping noise during courtship. Young roe deer make a high-pitched whistle to attract their mothers when they become lost.

Felix Salten’s 1928 book ‘Bambi’ was originally about the life of a roe deer

Roe deer suffered an almost catastrophic decline due to over-hunting and deforestation. deer are often seen as both a positive and negative influence in the countryside. However they have increased in both population and distribution with the increase in woodland planting and conservation efforts in the 20th century . They can still cause damage to young woodlands and agricultural crops through browsing, however many landowners and rural industries utilise the stalking of roe deer and the sale of venison as a substantial supplementary financial income.Like most wildlife here in the uk the Roe deer is protected by the Wildlife and Countryside Act (1981) It is also protected in the UK under the Deer Act 1991. In the UK, roe deer lake natural predators . While historically, lynx and wolves preyed on them, these animals are now extinct in Britain.

Every spring people come across new born or baby deer alone in the undergrowth and some worry that these young animals have been abandoned by their mothers. This is not the case; the young deer has been carefully hidden while the mother is feeding close by. Even if the mother does not appear to be in sight this does not mean that she has abandoned her offspring. Deer are naturally cautious of humans and the only thing stopping her returning to her young is the presence of people.