Why do stags fight

It's not an annual event in the study area," he says. Rum is owned and administered by Scottish Natural Heritage, and scientific studies of the ecology of the behaviour of the deer on the island are undertaken by the Rum Red Deer Project, a collaboration between the University of Cambridge and the University of Edinburgh, UK. While red deer research has been conducted on the island since , since a specific study of deer has been conducted in the Kilmory area in the north of Rum, known as the North Block.

Red deer stags on Rum usually live to an age of around 12 years, while hinds can live to around 14 or 15 years. Earth News. E-mail this to a friend Printable version. Please turn on JavaScript. Media requires JavaScript to play. I think the reason that this stag died is that he's unlucky. A fallen Titus. The Rum Red Deer project assesses the lives of the wild red deer.

Age toll taken on wild red deer 17 Aug 09 Edinburgh, East and Fife. An incision to leg muscle can mean that the victim may not be able to walk properly for a short, or long period of time, which will restrict its movements, making it more susceptible to being hunted by a natural predator, or shot by a human.

It will also mean the wounded deer would not be so able to flee from frightening situations, which will stress the animal, exposing it to all the negative health effects of stress, such as an increase in the likelihood on contracting disease, etc… although, wild roe deer are, in general, very healthy. Which leads us onto the next reason why fighting is a last resort for a roe deer; the energy demands are very high.

So, using a large quantity of energy by engaging in physical conflict and picking up life diminishing injuries, needs to be balanced by what is to gained by being able to pass on their genes mainly relevant to bucks and the ability to raise their young only relevant to does. Whether or not a deer does, indeed, actually take on a rival, is not determined by rational thought, of course, but is driven by ingrained instincts that have been responsible the success or otherwise of a particular lineage of roe deer.

Interestingly, the elder had just cast his antlers and his new ones had just started to grow and the youngster had just button antlers. The size difference between the pair was significant, and it was the smaller of the two deer that aggressively approached the other. The approach was probably playful, but bearing in mind how infrequently I have seen this behaviour, it could indicate a possible character trait of the individual deer as he matures.

Essentially it all comes down to making sure a buck is able to pass on his genes to the next generation. And he does this by staking out the best territory in the area and defending it against all roe antlered intruders. As previously mentioned, the territorial male will scent mark his domain and attempt avert deer-to-deer physical contact by using threatening body language.

A stag that has antlers with no tines is known as a switch. A stag with no antlers is a hummel. Antlers are testosterone driven and as the stag's testosterone levels drop in the autumn, the velvet is shed and the antlers stop growing. Are deer dangerous to dogs? In addition to generally being a nuisance by eating, trampling and defecating on landscaping and gardens, deer can also be dangerous to human beings and other domestic animals, particularly dogs.

Are deer in Richmond Park dangerous? The deer in Richmond Park and Bushy Park are wild animals and can be unpredictable. Our parks are nature reserves and the herds of wild deer roam freely. For your safety, please keep at least 50 metres away from the deer at all times and don't touch, feed or attempt to photograph the deer at close range.

Where can I see deer in Suffolk? The best place to watch them from is a public viewpoint on Westleton Heath, on the northern edge of the reserve about two miles from the car park and visitor centre. The watchpoint looks south across the main rutting fields, and the deer are usually about a quarter of a mile away. Where can I see deer on Exmoor? How big is a red stag? Where is the red deer found? The red deer Cervus elaphus is one of the largest deer species.

Why is Red Deer called Red Deer?