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Fallow Deer Rut

Published Tuesday 19 August 2014

A great deal of attention is given to the red deer rut - and for good reason! However the other species of deer in the park, the Fallow, also ruts and its behaviour is slightly different from the Red deer.

A great deal of attention is given to the red deer rut - and for good reason! However the other species of deer in the park, the Fallow, also ruts and its behaviour is slightly different from the Red deer.

The dominant bucks will make a groaning noise and scent themselves just like the Reds, however they are more likely to form 'leks' rather than manage a harem of females. A harem is where the male gathers a group of females and then keeps them from wandering off; other males then challenge him in an attempt to win his harem.

The Fallow lek is where the males establish a place to parade to impress the females who are free to move around and go with the male of their choice. The most impressive part of the Fallow rut is where two closely matched male's parade adjacent to each other. Here they will parallel walk with each other, back and forth as though a mirror image. Occasionally they will drop their heads and clash antlers at great speed and push against one another in an attempt to dominate.



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