There are many beautiful species of deer in this world, but not all of them can be in the game.
So i wanna ask you, what deer is best deer?
So i wanna ask you, what deer is best deer?
What deer is best deer?
- Thread starter KönigDerKaffeebohnen
- Start date
I would like to present two different picks, the fallow deer and peres davids deer.
The pere davids deer has a long conservative history. This deer, also known as Milu, has once ranged most of China, especally fond of swamps and rivers. Theyve been extinctin the wild for a long time, only surviving in one royal hunting garden of the chinese emperor. That population was sadly exterminated during the Boxer rebellion, but luckily, some have been shipped to european zoos before hand. From there, the british Duke Herbrand Russel aquired a breeding herd, managing to keep the population alive and well through both world wars. Today some have been resettled to China, but not without leaving a massive footprint on europes zoo history.
In China theres actually quite the charming legend about them. The legend says, that a deer, a donkey, an ox and a horse transformed into one creature to assist a sage as his mount in the fight against an unjust emperor. Afterwards they and there children were seen as sacred animals, bestowing everlasting life to a worthy emperor after they ate their flesh. This legend is part of the region, why they both have been almost extermenated, as well for being saved in the private collection of the emperor.
But the champion of my heart and the animal listed highest on the wishlist is the fallow deer.
These beautiful and nimble creatures are amongst the top 5 common zoo animals, with 839 recorded holdings in the EAZA alone.
The main reason for that is the fact, that they are the most versatile deer species in captivty, being able to be just normaly displayed, but also common sights in walkthroughs and petting zoos. They thrive in most enviroment, but prefer lush meadows in open forests, but can be found pretty much everywhere, roaming across the land in herds of females or males.
They are also amongst the toughes of european wildlife, only rivaled by the boar in the tenacity of their populations. As long as you dont shoot every single one down, they will return, stronger then before.
A cultural icon, that likes to eat out of your hand, is just simply beautiful and thrives in pretty much every enviroment, being able to resist illness, cold, hunger and drought?
No wonder they are that common in zoos
The pere davids deer has a long conservative history. This deer, also known as Milu, has once ranged most of China, especally fond of swamps and rivers. Theyve been extinctin the wild for a long time, only surviving in one royal hunting garden of the chinese emperor. That population was sadly exterminated during the Boxer rebellion, but luckily, some have been shipped to european zoos before hand. From there, the british Duke Herbrand Russel aquired a breeding herd, managing to keep the population alive and well through both world wars. Today some have been resettled to China, but not without leaving a massive footprint on europes zoo history.
In China theres actually quite the charming legend about them. The legend says, that a deer, a donkey, an ox and a horse transformed into one creature to assist a sage as his mount in the fight against an unjust emperor. Afterwards they and there children were seen as sacred animals, bestowing everlasting life to a worthy emperor after they ate their flesh. This legend is part of the region, why they both have been almost extermenated, as well for being saved in the private collection of the emperor.
But the champion of my heart and the animal listed highest on the wishlist is the fallow deer.
These beautiful and nimble creatures are amongst the top 5 common zoo animals, with 839 recorded holdings in the EAZA alone.
The main reason for that is the fact, that they are the most versatile deer species in captivty, being able to be just normaly displayed, but also common sights in walkthroughs and petting zoos. They thrive in most enviroment, but prefer lush meadows in open forests, but can be found pretty much everywhere, roaming across the land in herds of females or males.
They are also amongst the toughes of european wildlife, only rivaled by the boar in the tenacity of their populations. As long as you dont shoot every single one down, they will return, stronger then before.
A cultural icon, that likes to eat out of your hand, is just simply beautiful and thrives in pretty much every enviroment, being able to resist illness, cold, hunger and drought?
No wonder they are that common in zoos
I can't chose because i love them all. 
However i think it's a very close tie between the imponent Moose and the majestic Red Deer, with the Fallow Deer as second with the Roe Deer.
That's why i'm hoping for a Moose in the North America Pack and the Red Deer in the Europe Pack.
However i think it's a very close tie between the imponent Moose and the majestic Red Deer, with the Fallow Deer as second with the Roe Deer.
That's why i'm hoping for a Moose in the North America Pack and the Red Deer in the Europe Pack.
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There are so many different deer that I can't just pick one. Imagine having to pick one of the 5 panthers? Or just one bear? Or just one antelope?
A moose and a fallow deer are day and night, for example. So for me, I must have a reindeer, a moose, a fallow deer and a "standard deer". I'm biased, but the red deer is my choice. I know pere David's deer has a more important conservation background, but I like how the red deer looks more.
A moose and a fallow deer are day and night, for example. So for me, I must have a reindeer, a moose, a fallow deer and a "standard deer". I'm biased, but the red deer is my choice. I know pere David's deer has a more important conservation background, but I like how the red deer looks more.
If I had to choose just one deer species, I would go for the sika deer.
Why? Because they are very versatile and adaptive. Originally they are from East Asia and live in more temperate and colder regions like Japan or Siberia as well as in tropical areas like Vietnam. Plus, they have been introduced to many places like Europe, Texas, Australia or New Zealand.
So, they can be used in many ways and for a lot of different themed areas.
Why? Because they are very versatile and adaptive. Originally they are from East Asia and live in more temperate and colder regions like Japan or Siberia as well as in tropical areas like Vietnam. Plus, they have been introduced to many places like Europe, Texas, Australia or New Zealand.
So, they can be used in many ways and for a lot of different themed areas.
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Well, it depends for me. I love all deer.
For coolness factor, I'd choose a fallow deer, a moose (although I prefer others) and also musk deer.
For versatility, I'd go with white tailed deer and red deer, both common.
For coolness factor, I'd choose a fallow deer, a moose (although I prefer others) and also musk deer.
For versatility, I'd go with white tailed deer and red deer, both common.
But white tailed deer arnt very versatile, are they? Im just some european who has seen then in a zoo once, but besides them not really being held outside of america (8 heldings in the EAZA), i dont see anything really special about them. They are globally much rarer then the european and asian deer, nor do they offer something special, unlike most other deer. Everything they do is done better by the american elks, which not only look much more impressive and unique, but also are actually represented in international collections outside of the US.
Is there anything special done with them in zoos like with fallow deer for example or are they just your standard filler deer?
Filler deer, mostly. But, what I mean by versatile is that they're found in a range of biomes all across the US, down into Mexico and central America, down to Brazil and I believe northern Argentina, so they'd match the puma in terms of being able to be put in just about every biome, from temperate to desert to grassland to tropical
Lol, didnt know that they spread that far down. That actually is a point for the most boring looking of all deer, kudos
Plus, they are far more common in the wild than other deer I've seen (once I saw a red deer, but that was a long time ago).
Plus, seeing those majestic bucks in November in the middle of a meadow is amazing. I've seen so many bucks, and they seem to recognize us because they sometimes run up, then leave. It's amazing
Ok, I was wrong, the distribution isn't that large. But still, it extends to Brazil
That's not too bad
That's not too bad
Another interesting thought could be to not just compare them in a vacuum, but also right next to each other. I would say these 10 are the most promising (and all allready mentioned here) deer species, and there are some clear outliers in looks, making them look especally good as an addition, while others feel closer to a dis or dat situation.
But hey, little game for everyone, do you guys think you know which one is which? And if you are just looking on these images, which ones would you choose for the game?
But hey, little game for everyone, do you guys think you know which one is which? And if you are just looking on these images, which ones would you choose for the game?
I love many of the deer, with some of my particular favourites being the fallow deer, Vietnamese sika deer and Southern pudu.
But perhaps the one species I always drawn back to is the Chinese water deer. I have seen them before both in zoos and in the wild (here in the UK we have about 40% of the global water deer population, which have recently been found to be of a genetic type now extinct in their native China). They are such wonderfully odd-looking animals; they sort of resemble a cross between a deer and a teddy bear with a pair of huge fangs in the males, which can be swung forward on hinges when they are fighting. Another thing quite unique about these deer when compared to others is their fecundity - while most deer have between one and three fawns, the water deer can have litters of up to seven young.
But perhaps the one species I always drawn back to is the Chinese water deer. I have seen them before both in zoos and in the wild (here in the UK we have about 40% of the global water deer population, which have recently been found to be of a genetic type now extinct in their native China). They are such wonderfully odd-looking animals; they sort of resemble a cross between a deer and a teddy bear with a pair of huge fangs in the males, which can be swung forward on hinges when they are fighting. Another thing quite unique about these deer when compared to others is their fecundity - while most deer have between one and three fawns, the water deer can have litters of up to seven young.
Imma try. Oh, and any deer/caption with the * is what I wanna see:
White-Tailed deer*
(I'm not gonna do this because the answer is in the bottom right)
Fallow deer*
Not sure
Moose (Elk in Europe)
Axis deer
Not sure
Elk (wapiti in Europe)*
Père David's deer
Muntjac
White-Tailed deer*
(I'm not gonna do this because the answer is in the bottom right)
Fallow deer*
Not sure
Moose (Elk in Europe)
Axis deer
Not sure
Elk (wapiti in Europe)*
Père David's deer
Muntjac
Good shot, you missed the red and the sika deer. Any of them you liked more then expected?