(Cervus dama), an artiodactyl of the genus Cervus. The antlers of the male are palmate; the females have no antlers. The males measure about 130 cm long and stand 85–90 cm high at the shoulder. They weigh about 90 kg. The females are smaller. The coloration in the summer is a rust red with white spots; in the winter, a uniform gray-brown. White or black individuals are found.
Fallow deer are native to the Mediterranean region and Asia Minor. In many countries of Europe, including the USSR, and also in New Zealand and America, fallow deer are raised in parks and preserves, where they are kept for display and to be hunted. Fallow deer prefer broad-leaved forests. They feed on herbaceous and woody vegetation. The animals live in groups of three to ten members; the males range separately except during the mating season. The antlers are shed in May; new ones are formed by August. The deer mate in September or October. The gestation period is about eight months. There are one or two offspring. Only a few dozen individuals have been preserved in the wild state in southern Iran (they are protected).