Red Deer (Cervus elaphus) Stag showing lip curling behaviour


Red Deer Cervus elaphus in Autumn When the Deer sniff areas of scent they often curl their upper lip which is know as Flehmen 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: 3600px × 5400px
Location: north lincolnshire, england, united kingdom
Photo credit: © LEE BEEL / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No

Keywords: animal, animals, antler, antlers, autumn, autumnal, beel, cervus, curl, curling, deer, elaphus, flehmen, lip, mammal, mane, red, rut, rutting, stag, velvet, wild, wildlife, wood, woodland