Richmond Park is a site of both
national and international importance for wildlife
conservation. It is London's largest Site of Special
Scientific Interest, a National Nature Reserve and a Special
Area of Conservation. Richmond Park, originally a deer-hunting
park, still has 300 Red Deer and 350 fallow deer. The deer in
the park are wild animals.
The fallow
deer is an elegant, medium-sized deer, with a typically
spotted coat. Males have broad, palmate antlers. During the
autumnal breeding season, known as the 'rut', males make a
loud belly belch to proclaim their territory and fight over
the females. This display may involve groaning and stylised
walking, but often results in dangerous, physical contact as
they lock antlers. The resulting fawns are born the following
summer.
Fallow
deer prefer deciduous or mixed woodland with large clearings,
typically living in small herds. They are also common in many
deer parks throughout the country. They eat grasses and herbs,
and will browse young, broadleaf trees. |
