Roe Deer

Roe Deer, common name for the smallest Eurasian deer. An adult buck stands about 71 cm (about 28 in) at the shoulder and weighs about 27 kg (about 60 lb). The short, upright antlers are three-pronged. During the summer the coat is reddish-brown above and white below, and in winter it is grayish-brown with a noticeable white patch on the rump. The roe deer is found mostly in forests, but it ventures out into open terrain in the summer. The bucks aggressively establish individual territories in the spring. Mating occurs in August. Roe rings are paths in the forest trampled by roe deer at play or in premating rituals. Fertilized egg implantation in the uterus is delayed approximately four months, and a gestation period of about 5.5 months follows implantation. The young are born in May, two fawns usually being produced in a litter. The distinctive mating call of the doe is simulated by hunters to attract bucks.

Scientific classification: The roe deer belongs to the family Cervidae. It is classified as Capreolus capreolus.