Roe Doe and follower

Feeding

Roe deer are highly selective feeders which eat a wide variety of

plant types. They select highly nutritious plants and therefore

browse rather than graze. They enjoy herbs, cereals, hedgerow

plants, heather, and young trees as well as some garden plants.

All deer do not have a top set of front incisors, but instead have

a hard pad that acts to tear vegetation rather than cut it.

Social organisation

Roe deer are generally solitary animals usually seen alone or in

small family groups but can form larger informal groups when

feeding in open areas such as fields during the winter. They are

active throughout the day and night but are most likely to be

active at dawn and dusk. They can often be seen ‘lying up’ or

resting whilst ruminating much like farm animals such as cows

and sheep.

Breeding

Roe deer have a very interesting breeding system, which

is designed to ensure the best possible start in life for their

offspring. Females can give birth at two years old and will

normally produce one or two offspring (kids). Exceptionally they

may produce triplets. Young are born between late April and

June. Roe deer are unique amongst deer species in that they

delay the development of the fertilised egg prior to birth for

several months following mating. This is a mechanism adopted

to avoid birthing during harsh northern winters when survival of

young would be unlikely.

Bucks defend a territory, becoming increasingly aggressive

towards rivals, from April through to September. The ‘rut’ is the

term used for the breeding season that occurs between

mid-July and early August. During this time bucks will pursue

does and compete with neighbouring bucks to enlarge their

territories and increase their access to the does visiting the area.

Fights between males can be serious and may sometimes even

lead to fatalities

Done