Red Deer: a two-minute wildlife lesson

Deer and Antelopes · day 4 of 7

Five facts

1. Red deer antlers can grow 2.5 cm a day. The biggest sets reach 115 cm long and weigh 5 kg.
2. In the rut, male red deer roar instead of bugling like their elk cousins. The roar keeps a stag's harem together and signals dominance to rivals.
3. France's red deer population exploded from 30,000 in 1970 to roughly 160,000 in 2014.
4. A red deer calf grows inside its mother for 240 to 262 days and weighs about 15 kg at birth. It joins the herd after two weeks.
5. Wild red deer usually live 10 to 13 years. Some subspecies that face fewer predators average 15 years.

The quiz

1. How fast can red deer antlers grow?

• 2.5 mm a day
• 2.5 cm a day (correct)
• 25 cm a day
• 2.5 cm a week

Antlers can grow 2.5 cm a day.

2. What does a male red deer do in the rut instead of bugling?

• He whistles
• He clicks
• He stays silent
• He roars (correct)

Male red deer roar instead of bugling like elk.

3. Roughly how many red deer lived in France in 2014?

• 160,000 (correct)
• 30,000
• 16,000
• 1.6 million

The population reached roughly 160,000 in 2014.

4. Roughly how much does a red deer calf weigh at birth?

• 1.5 kg
• 50 kg
• 15 kg (correct)
• 5 kg

A calf is born at roughly 15 kg.

5. How long do wild red deer usually live?

• 2 to 3 years
• 10 to 13 years (correct)
• 5 to 6 years
• 25 to 30 years

In the wild they usually live 10 to 13 years.

More about the Red Deer

Same week

All lessons

Nature documentaries