DEER

Deer are widely distributed, with ingigenous respresentstives in all continent except Antaretica and Australia, though Africa has only one native deer, Barbary stag, a subspecies of red deer that is confined to the Atlas mountains in the northwest of the continent. An additional extinct species of deer, Megaceriodes algricus, was present in North Africa until 6000 year ago.

Deer live in a variety of biomes, ranging from tundra to the tropical rainforest, while often associsted with forest, many deer are ecotone species that live in transitional areas between forest and thicks (for cover) and prairie and savanna (open space).The majority of large deer species inhabit temperate mixed deciduious forest, mountain mixed coniferous forest, tropical seasonal/dry forest, and savanna habitats around the world. Clearing open areas within forest to some extent may actually benefit deer populations by exposing the understory and allowing the type of grasses, weeds and herbs to adjacent crolands may also benefit deer. Howeever adequate forest or brush cover must still be provided for populations to grow and thrive.

Deer consists the second most diverse family of ortiodactyla after bovids. Though of a similsr build, deer are strongly distinguishede from antelopes by their antlers, which are temporary and regulary regrown unlike the permanent horns of bovids. Characteristics typical of deer include long, powerful legs, a diminutive tail and long ears. Deer exhibit a broad variation in physical proportions. The longest extant deer is the moose, which is nearly 2.6 metres(8.5ft) tail and weighs up to 800 kilograms (1,800lb). The elk stand 1.4-2 metres (4.6-6ft) at the shoulder and weighs 240-450 kilograms (530-990lb). The Northen Pudu is the smallest deer in the world. Coat colour generally varie between red and brown, through it can be as dark as chocolate brown in the tufted deer.

WHERE WILL YOU FIND THEM?

You will find deer at the eat side of the zoo