Deer

Deer

The deer are mammals of the order of artiodactyls belonging, in strict sense, to the Cervidae family. However, several similar species of other families of the same order, are also called deer. In Portugal this term is usually used to refer to the red-deer.

Are found worldwide, except in Australia (the species that live there, although in the wild, were introduced in colonization). The males of most species are lop or antlers (not horns, what distinguishes the group from other ruminants) in the skull, which are renewed annually. Are used as a weapon during the season of mating, in fights between males. The deer have no lop long upper canines, which use as a weapon. The deer are polygamous.

The deer are herbivores with food due to lack specific expertise of your stomach, not digest fibrous vegetation such as grass. Thus, fed mainly on buds, leaves, fruits and lichens. Have high nutritional requirements for minerals that allow them to grow new lop every year.

Certain species of deer throughout the Americas were almost exterminated because its meat considered a delicacy. Many species are endangered.

The lesser known is the deer Muntiacus putaoensis, found in 1997 in Myanmar, with only 45 cm tall.

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.