young red deer (cervus elaphus) stag
Red Deer Cervus elaphus in Autumn The Red Deer is one of the largest deer species and is the largest Mammal in Great Britain It is a ruminant eating its food in two stages and having an even number of toes on each hoof Only male Red Deer stags have antlers which start growing in the spring and are shed each year usually at the end of winter Antlers are made of bone which can grow at a rate of 2 5 centimetres a day A soft covering known as velvet helps to protect newly forming antlers in the spring During autumn the Deer grow a thicker coat of hair which helps to insulate them during the winter Autumn is also when some of the stags grow their neck manes
Size: 5400px × 3600px
Photo credit: © LEE BEEL / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No
Keywords: animal, animals, antler, antlers, autumn, autumnal, beel, cervus, deer, elaphus, mammal, mane, red, rut, rutting, stag, velvet, wild, wildlife, wood, woodland
