Are Deer Mammals? Understanding Deer Animal Classification in One Article

The characteristics of Cervidae animals are that they have solid, branched antlers; generally only males have 1 pair of antlers, while females have none; body length is 0.75-2.90 m, and body weight is 9-800 kg. So, are deer mammals?

1. Are deer mammals?

Deer are mammals and belong to viviparous animals. Adult deer reproduce once a year, generally in September-October each year, when male sika deer will mate with multiple female deer. The gestation period of female deer is about 30 weeks, and they give birth in May-June of the following year, with one fawn per litter; cases of 2 young are extremely rare.

2. What are the common species of deer?

1. Sika deer

It is a species native to eastern Asia. In China, it is distributed in the Northeast, North China, East China, and South China; at present, few are wild, and most are domesticated. Outside China, it is distributed in eastern Russia, Japan, Korea, and other places.

Endangered status: IUCN (2009): Least Concern (LC). List of National Key Protected Wild Animals: Class I.

2. Red deer

It is relatively widely distributed. In China, it is distributed in Heilongjiang, Liaoning, Hohhot in Inner Mongolia, the Helan Mountains in Ningxia, Qinghai, Gansu, and other places. Outside China, it is distributed in southern and central Europe, North America, northern Africa, and eastern Russia, Mongolia, Korea, South Korea, and other parts of Asia.

Endangered status: IUCN (2009): Least Concern (LC). List of National Key Protected Wild Animals: Class II.

3. Eurasian moose

It is a circumpolar Arctic animal, widely distributed in the northern parts of Eurasia and the North American continent. China is at the southern edge of the Eurasian moose distribution area; historically its distribution was relatively wide and its numbers were also relatively high. At present, it is mainly distributed in the Greater Khingan Mountains and the northern part of the Lesser Khingan Mountains in the Northeast and the Ussuri River basin, as well as the Altay Mountains in northern Xinjiang.

Endangered status: List of National Key Protected Wild Animals: Class II.

4. Roe deer

It is distributed in the Northeast, Inner Mongolia, Qinghai, Hebei, Henan, Shanxi, Xinjiang, Gansu, Ningxia, Hubei, Shaanxi, and other places.

Endangered status: IUCN (2009): Least Concern (LC).

5. Reindeer

It is a circumpolar Arctic distribution animal, widely distributed in the northern parts of Eurasia and the North American continent and on some large islands, and has been artificially introduced to South Georgia Island, where it is in good condition. According to research, reindeer in China are related in origin to the reindeer of the Vundo tundra highlands upstream of the Nerchinsk River in northeastern Lake Baikal (Ma Yiqing, 1992). At present, reindeer in China are only seen in the forest region of the northeastern Greater Khingan Mountains.

Endangered status: All reindeer in China are semi-domesticated populations. Due to long-term inbreeding, genetic decline is severe, and coupled with disease and harm from natural enemies, the numbers of births and deaths are roughly offset.

Deer are nationally protected animals, so everyone should not hunt or kill them at will.