Scottish red deer

Scottish red deer
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Clade:	Synapsida
Class:	Mammalia
Order:	Artiodactyla
Family:	Cervidae
Subfamily:	Cervinae
Genus:	Cervus
Species:	C. elaphus
Subspecies:	C. e. scoticus
Trinomial name
Cervus elaphus scoticus

The Scottish red deer (Cervus elaphus scoticus) is a subspecies of red deer, which is native to the British Isles. Like the red deer of Ireland, it was introduced to Britain sometime in the Stone age.

Description

This deer is slightly smaller than other Western European red deer. In summer, the coat is lighter in colour with a distinct border to the lighter patch on the rump. The rest of the colour is dark reddish brown with a greyer face and neck. The legs are blackish brown. In winter the animal grows long hair on the neck. The brow and the bez tines of the antler are usually close together and at a distance above the burr.

Range

This deer thrives in the Highlands and Islands of Scotland and in parts of England such as Westmorland, Devon, Somerset, and the New Forest. It is also found in County Kerry and Donegal in Ireland. However, most of the red deer kept in parks in the British Isles are derived from the larger subspecies brought from the European mainland, the Western European red deer (Cervus elaphus elaphus). This subspecies has also escaped from deer parks and has become feral in some areas.

Although mostly found in the north of Scotland, there are reports of deer being spotted in the Borders.