Native to Asia Minor and the Mediterranean region, fallow deer were introduced to the North American continent at James Island, British Columbia, and Land Between the Lakes, a national recreation area in Kentucky. They now can be found in Maryland, Saint Simon and Jekyll islands off the coast of Georgia as well as Alabama, Oklahoma, Texas and California.

This small deer gets its name from the Anglo-Saxon word fealo, meaning “sallow,” referring to the pale yellow color of its fur.

If truly wild, fallow deer are wary of man, but unlike most other deer species, they easily become semi-domesticated and have been established as “park deer” in many parts of the world.

The adult fallow deer stands about 1m tall at the shoulder and weighs 40 to 80 kg.

Unusually social animals, fallow deer form herds of up to 175 members, including bucks, does, and fawns. Grazing on grasses and plants in summer, they browse on the woody parts of trees and shrubs in winter.  Fallow deer run in a stiff-legged fashion, bouncing along as if on pogo sticks.