In Scotland, stags average 201 cm (79 in) in head-and-body length and 122 cm (48 in) high at the shoulder and females average 180 cm (71 in) long and 114 cm (45 in) tall. The tail adds another 12 to 19 cm ( 4 + 1⁄ 2 to 7 + 1⁄ 2 in) and shoulder height is about 95 to 130 cm (37 to 51 in). The male (stag) red deer is typically 175 to 250 cm (69 to 98 in) long from the nose to the base of the tail and typically weighs 160 to 240 kg (350 to 530 lb) the female (hind) is 160 to 210 cm (63 to 83 in) long and often weighs 120 to 170 kg (260 to 370 lb). Skeleton of Cervus elaphus found at Għar Dalam Size Female red deer are much smaller than their male counterparts. Large red deer stags, like the Caspian red deer or those of the Carpathian Mountains, may rival North American elk in size. Western European red deer, historically, grew to large size given ample food supply (including people's crops), and descendants of introduced populations living in New Zealand and Argentina have grown quite large in both body and antler size. The deer of central and western Europe vary greatly in size, with some of the largest deer found in the Carpathian Mountains in Central Europe. Subtle differences in appearance are noted between the various subspecies of red deer, primarily in size and antlers, with the smallest being the Corsican red deer found on the islands of Corsica and Sardinia and the largest being the Caspian red deer (or maral) of Asia Minor and the Caucasus Region to the west of the Caspian Sea. European red deer have a relatively long tail compared with their Asian and North American relatives. It is a ruminant, eating its food in two stages and having an even number of toes on each hoof, like camels, goats, and cattle. The red deer is the fourth-largest extant deer species, behind the moose, elk, and sambar deer. Reintroduction and conservation efforts, such as in the United Kingdom and Portugal, have resulted in an increase of red deer populations, while other areas, such as North Africa, have continued to show a population decline. Īlthough at one time red deer were rare in parts of Europe, they were never close to extinction. The ancestor of all red deer (and wapiti) probably originated in central Asia and resembled sika deer. The closely related and slightly larger American elk, or wapiti, native to North America and northeastern Asia, had been regarded as a subspecies of red deer, but recently it has been established as a distinct species. Genetic evidence indicates that the red deer, as traditionally defined, is a species group, rather than a single species, though exactly how many species the group includes remains disputed. Red deer are ruminants, characterized by a four-chambered stomach. In many parts of the world, the meat ( venison) from red deer is used as a food source. Red deer have been introduced to other areas, including Australia, New Zealand, the United States, Canada, Peru, Uruguay, Chile and Argentina. It also inhabits the Atlas Mountains of Northern Africa being the only living species of deer to inhabit Africa. The red deer inhabits most of Europe, the Caucasus Mountains region, Anatolia, Iran, and parts of western Asia. A male red deer is called a stag or hart, and a female is called a hind. The red deer ( Cervus elaphus) is one of the largest deer species.
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