Red Deer
The Red Deer, or Cervus Elaphus, is a species of deer that lives in the forests of Europe, Asia, and northern Africa. There are several subspecies of Red Deer. Scientists classify the American elk, also called the Wapiti, as a subspecies of Red Deer. Red Deer have smooth coats that range in color from rich, reddish-brown in summer, to a grayish-brown color in the winter. The male Red Deer, also called a ‘hart’, grows branched antlers that are shed each year. A Red Deer ‘hart’ weighs from 113 to 159 kilograms, and stands up to 1.4 meters high. The female Red Deer, also called a ‘hind’ are shorter than the ‘harts’, and have no antlers. In New Zealand the more common name for a male Red Deer is a stag or a buck.
In the days of 20th March to 20th April, the Red Deer ‘roar’ or ‘rut’ commences. This is when the stags are most vocal, calling to attract the attention of mates and to protect their territory. The roar lasts approximately four weeks, with stags being the most vocal in the middle two weeks. Spring is another favorable time of the year to hunt Red Deer. During spring deer can be seen coming out of the forest to feed on new grass and shrub growth.
In the days of 20th March to 20th April, the Red Deer ‘roar’ or ‘rut’ commences. This is when the stags are most vocal, calling to attract the attention of mates and to protect their territory. The roar lasts approximately four weeks, with stags being the most vocal in the middle two weeks. Spring is another favorable time of the year to hunt Red Deer. During spring deer can be seen coming out of the forest to feed on new grass and shrub growth.
Adaptations
In New Zealand, introduced Red Deer have adapted much better than other places in the world, and are widely hunted in both the South Island and the North Island. Some structural adaptations that Red Deer have used to survive in New Zealand are the development of thicker, shaggier coats of fur. The deer use these coats to survive in the harsh conditions of the South Island, and the grueling weather of Fiordland national park.
It has been proved that Red Deer transferred from England to New Zealand take around two years to adapt themselves to the change of season. This shows up in erratic rut and calving, and in aberrant shedding of antlers and time of new growth. In Britain, Red Deer start to rut about the 20th of September, while in New Zealand the season begins about the 20th of March. The rutting season determines antler shedding and calving time.
Some more Red Deer adaptations are that when the deer is alarmed it will raise its tail like a flag and will dash away. This tail movement gives a warning to other Deer that there is danger approaching. Another adaptation is that to prepare for the winter the Deer grow a thick coat and eat a lot of food to store up their body fat. If it is a very long and cold winter the deer will sometimes gather in small groups for protection from the cold.
It has been proved that Red Deer transferred from England to New Zealand take around two years to adapt themselves to the change of season. This shows up in erratic rut and calving, and in aberrant shedding of antlers and time of new growth. In Britain, Red Deer start to rut about the 20th of September, while in New Zealand the season begins about the 20th of March. The rutting season determines antler shedding and calving time.
Some more Red Deer adaptations are that when the deer is alarmed it will raise its tail like a flag and will dash away. This tail movement gives a warning to other Deer that there is danger approaching. Another adaptation is that to prepare for the winter the Deer grow a thick coat and eat a lot of food to store up their body fat. If it is a very long and cold winter the deer will sometimes gather in small groups for protection from the cold.
Community
The Red Deer lives in grassland, forest, mountains and moorland. They prefer to live in hot environments with trees and patches of grass. The Red Deer likes to sleep under the trees in the daytime and come out to feed in the night-time, which means that Red Deer are nocturnal, which means that they are most active during the nighttime. For hunters this means that we have to go hunting at dusk and dawn so we can get them before they go to bed and just after they wake up.
Red Deer have fairly good relationships with other organisms apart from Humans. Sheep and Cows don’t really bother Red Deer and Pigs don't interact with them much. Unlike with Sheep, Red Deer do not interact much with Wild Pigs, but Pigs often kill Lambs and Hoggets (Sheep up to the age of one year).
When the Red Deer Stags are growing their antlers, the antlers are coated in a velvet coat, which protects the antlers while they are growing. Quite often the antlers will break off while they are growing, either from a collision with a tree or a rock, or from fighting with another Stag.
Red Deer have fairly good relationships with other organisms apart from Humans. Sheep and Cows don’t really bother Red Deer and Pigs don't interact with them much. Unlike with Sheep, Red Deer do not interact much with Wild Pigs, but Pigs often kill Lambs and Hoggets (Sheep up to the age of one year).
When the Red Deer Stags are growing their antlers, the antlers are coated in a velvet coat, which protects the antlers while they are growing. Quite often the antlers will break off while they are growing, either from a collision with a tree or a rock, or from fighting with another Stag.
Endangered Aotearoa
In New Zealand there are many things that threaten the Red Deer. Some of these things are humans, for example hunters from the South and North Island hunt Red Deer frequently for meat and furs. Another thing that threatens Red Deer is the disease of Tuberculosis. This disease if commonly found with Possums and water or leaves transfer the virus from Deer to Possum.
These things threaten the Red Deer because they will eventually lead to the extinction of Red Deer in New Zealand if nothing is done. Though this is not really a big issue because Red Deer are classified as a pest in New Zealand, this will mean that more Red Deer will be introduced to boost hunting if they go extinct. This will also mean the Red Deer that are being farmed will be more likely to be infected by Tuberculosis.
Another thing that threatens Red Deer are Wild Pigs. Wild Pigs eat young Red Deer fawns soon after they are born. This will cut down the number of Red Deer unless they Wild Pig population is controlled. Red Deer have endangered many plants and trees by their constant consumption of tree and shrubs. One of the plants that have been endangered by Red Deer is the Beech Tree.
These things threaten the Red Deer because they will eventually lead to the extinction of Red Deer in New Zealand if nothing is done. Though this is not really a big issue because Red Deer are classified as a pest in New Zealand, this will mean that more Red Deer will be introduced to boost hunting if they go extinct. This will also mean the Red Deer that are being farmed will be more likely to be infected by Tuberculosis.
Another thing that threatens Red Deer are Wild Pigs. Wild Pigs eat young Red Deer fawns soon after they are born. This will cut down the number of Red Deer unless they Wild Pig population is controlled. Red Deer have endangered many plants and trees by their constant consumption of tree and shrubs. One of the plants that have been endangered by Red Deer is the Beech Tree.
Energy Flow
There are many food webs that the Red Deer are involved in around the world and in New Zealand. One of these food webs contains the Red Deer, which eats the Red Oak leaves and bark, and the Red Deer is killed/eaten by the Deer Tick. Another food web that has the Red Deer in it is where the Red Deer eats the grass, which is a producer, and then the Cougar eats the Red Deer.
A food web that I have created that involves the Red Deer and is found in New Zealand has the Red Deer eating the grass, then the Human kills the Red Deer to eat him for dinner. If the Red Deer were removed from the New Zealand ecosystem, there would not be big changes. First of all New Zealand hunters would not have a source of meat and would have to resort to buying venison from the supermarket.
Apart from that not much would happen, apart from some minor changes in the amount of Wild Pigs because they eat newborn Red Deer and yearlings. Also there would be some increase in the length of grass because of the lack of Red Deer grazing on it.
A food web that I have created that involves the Red Deer and is found in New Zealand has the Red Deer eating the grass, then the Human kills the Red Deer to eat him for dinner. If the Red Deer were removed from the New Zealand ecosystem, there would not be big changes. First of all New Zealand hunters would not have a source of meat and would have to resort to buying venison from the supermarket.
Apart from that not much would happen, apart from some minor changes in the amount of Wild Pigs because they eat newborn Red Deer and yearlings. Also there would be some increase in the length of grass because of the lack of Red Deer grazing on it.
Thanks to these websites for helping me with my project:
www.teara.govt.nz/en/map/15642/spread-of-red-deer-in-new-zealand
worldbookonline.com/
http://www.doc.govt.nz/parks-and-recreation/hunting/what-to-hunt/deer/red-deer/appearance/
http://www.nzhuntinginfo.com/game/red-deer.html
http://www.ontariodeerelkfarmers.com/about-red-deer.html
By Daniel Coulter