How do deer reproduce, and what is the function of their tails?

Deer are a type of mammal, and different breeds vary in body size. They are mainly distributed in Japan, Eurasia, North America, Indonesia and other regions. In the deer family, females generally do not have antlers, while males have a pair of antlers, and the whole body has certain medicinal value. However, many of these breeds are nationally protected animals and must not be killed at will; doing so is illegal. There are now also some farmers who raise deer artificially, though it is not particularly easy. Let us take a look below at how deer reproduce and what function their tails have.

1. How do deer reproduce?

Deer in different zones reproduce at different times. Tropical deer, for example, can go into estrus many times a year, have no fixed breeding time, and do not shed their antlers. Temperate deer generally begin mating from late autumn to winter, usually with one male deer mating with multiple female deer. Each litter produces one to two fawns, and at most three or four.

Antlers are a secondary characteristic of male deer and also their weapon for competing for mates; their growth and shedding are affected by testosterone and the pituitary gland in the brain. Deer in the north shed their antlers after the breeding period and grow them again the following year. The antlers grown for the first time are called velvet antlers; they are connected to skin on the outside and have many blood vessels supplying blood. After the antlers gradually grow larger, the blood supply slowly decreases, and the outer skin dries up and falls off. Generally, the antlers of one- to two-year-old deer are mostly straight; later, as age increases, the forks become more and more numerous, and after adulthood the antlers become fixed in shape. Generally, male deer are somewhat larger than female deer. Coat color changes with the seasons: the color is darker in winter and lighter in summer. Most young deer also have white spots. Among them, sika deer also have spots when they reach adulthood.

Deer like to live in forest areas, deserts, shrublands and swamps. Common breeds include sika deer, red deer, Eurasian moose, roe deer, reindeer and so on.

2. What function do deer tails have?

1. Maintaining body balance while running

Deer have relatively slender legs, and when running, the tail helps maintain body balance.

2. Warning function

There is a bright spot under a deer's tail. When danger approaches the herd, the first deer to spot the enemy raises its tail to warn the surrounding deer companions, and the deer that receive the message immediately flee the area. Because deer are the food of many wild beasts in nature, they have no choice but to possess this survival ability.

3. Medicinal material

A deer's tail is a place where yin blood gathers and is purified. For example, after being made into medicinal material, the tail of a sika deer has the effect of strengthening the body. It is worth noting that sika deer are nationally protected animals, so they must never be killed at will; they should be protected well.