Fallow deer are native to SW Asia, but were anciently (9,000 years ago) introduced to the Mediterranean region. They were introduced to England by the Normans around 1100 AD. Chestnut coat with white mottles, it is most pronounced in summer with a much darker, unspotted coat in the winter. The light-coloured area around the tail is edged with black. The tail is light with a black stripe. Only bucks have antlers, which are broad and shovel-shaped from three years. In the first two years the antler is a single spike. Male fallow deer are highly competitive during the rutting season; successful mating depends mainly on body size and dominance rank. Many factors can determine the seasonal reproductive success of an individual male fallow deer; these factors include body size, which can affect reproduction and survival.

Fallow deer forage on a variety of vegetation, usually grasses, mast, and browse. Other items in their diet may include herbs, dwarf shrubs, leaves, buds, shoots, and bark. Their diets are adaptable and depend on season and availability. hey do best in old-growth forests dominated by broad-leafed, deciduous trees such as oaks, especially if these forests contain glades. Fallow deer can also be found in forests of deciduous trees and conifers, in grasslands, savannas, and scrublands. Like many types of deer, fallow deer are herbivores, but they are not particular when it comes to their diet. They eat grasses, acorns, and other fruit produced by trees, leaves, twigs, and shrubbery. They’ll also take herbs, shoots, and buds and will even eat bark.