Rothirsch Cervus elaphus (Linné, 1758)
English: Red Deer; French: Cerf, Cerf rouge; Albanian: Dreri; Arabic: Ail el Atlas; Argentine-Chile: Ciervo colorado; Bulgarian: Blagoroden Elen; Chinese: Ma Lu; Croatian: Jelen; Czech: jeleni zver; Danish: Krondyr; Dutch: Edelhert; Estonian: Hirv; Lettish: Staltradzis; Finnish: Saksan Hirvi; Greek: Elafi; Hindi: hangal, barasinga; Hungarian: Gimszarvas; Iranian: Maral, Gavazn; Irish: Fia (rua); Italian: Cervo; Kashmiri: Hangal, honglu; Lithuanian: Taurusis elnias; Montenigrin: elen; Norwegian: Hjort; Polish: Jelen; Pashto: jawas; Portuguese: veado; Romanian: Cerb; Russian: Blagorodnij Olen; Serb: jelen; Slovakian: jelenia zver; Slovenian: jelenjad; Spanish: Ciervo común; Swedish: Kronhjort; Tibetan: Yi Rithak churin; Turkish: Geyik, Ulu Geyik; Urdu: Barasinga.
 |
 | Cervus e. maral |
|
Former distribution: The forest areas of the Palaearctic of southern Scandinavia, south to western Europe, England to France; Spain and Morocco, North Africa to Tunisia, east to Turkey, Iran, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Xizang (Tibet) and Dzungaria in western China.
Present distribution: Scandinavia, Ireland, Scotland and England, Spain, Portugal, Tunisia, Algeria, central Europe with western USSR, Caucasus, Crimea, Turkey, northern Iran, Kashmir, western Himalayas, southern and northern Xizang (Tibet), Dzungaria in western China, Bhutan and south-east Xizang (Tibet), eastern Turkmeniya.
Behaviour: Preferred habitat: grassland and open forest in low and mountainous regions; activity mainly at twilight; they graze and browse grass, leaves and twigs from deciduous trees. They are gregarious - the sexes being separate most of the year; the rut takes place in September and October. Predators include wolves, lynxes, pumas (in South America) and occasionally brown bears.
Population status: Endangered or rare are: Sardinian Deer (Cervus e. corsicanus) 400; Barbary Deer (Cervus e. barbarus) 1150; Kashmir deer or Hangul (Cervus e. hanglu) 500-600; Bactrian deer (Cervus e. bactrianus) 1500. Estimated total population: 1-2 millions.
Brief notes:
Body weight: 150-350 kg
Head and body length: 180-250 cm
Tail length: 12-15 cm
Shoulder height: 130-150 cm
Gestation period: 230-240 days
Maximum age: 15-18 years
Trophy: Record SCI: Cervus e. elaphus: 332 4/8 score, 1984 Argentina, HUGO VITULLO; average 158 score. Cervus e. elaphus: 269 6/8 score, 1984 New Zealand, GERALD J. HUBER; average 140 score. Cervus e. hispanicus: 253 2/8 score, 1984 Spain, JAMEL ASSAD; average 160 score. Cervus e. hippelaphus: 319 4/8 score, 1973 England, R.E. SPEEGLE; average 175 score. Cervus e. scoticus: 153 7/8 score, 1983 Scotland, FRANCIS MIRE. Cervus e. maral: 348 1/8 score, 1978 Caucasus, BERT KLINEBURGER; average 175 score. RW's: Middle-European Red Deer (Cervus e. hippelaphus) 525.7 points, 1986 Hungary, JOSEF BLEIER; average 400 points. Scottish Red Deer (Cervus e. scoticus) 407.6 points, 1905 Scotland, C. E. LUCAS; average 330 points. Bactrian Red Deer (Cervus e. bactrianus) 315 1/2 points, 1968 USSR, Usbek, LOVEN SOYUZ; average 190 points. Kashmir Red Deer (Cervus e. hanglu): RW's 50 1/2", 1921 Kashmir, C. GILBERT ROGERS; average 200 points (acc. new system). Yarkand Red Deer (Cervus e. yarkandensis) 44 1/2", 1909 China Turkestan, G.K. WHITEHEAD; average 175 points. Shou (Cervus e. wallachi) 55 3/4", 1898 Tibet, British Museum (Hume); average 205 points. CIC: Middle-European Deer (Cervus e. hippelaphus) 271 points, 1986 Hungary, JOSEF BLEIER; average 170 points. 1988 a new record stag was hunted in Bulgaria with appr. 19 kg antlers weight, but not yet officially measured by the CIC. Western Red Deer (Cervus e. hippelaphus) 250.79 points, 1986 (found) FRG; average 165 points. Spanish Red Deer (Cervus e. hispanicus) 210.13 points, 1959 Spain, F. FRANCO BAHAMONTE; average 165 points. Scottish Red Deer (Cervus e. scoticus) 180.73 points, 1905 Scotland, C.E. LUCAS; average 160 points. Norwegian Red Deer (Cervus e. atlanticus) 180.60 points, Norway n.n.; average 160 points. Swedish Red Deer (Cervus e. elaphus) 189.2 points, 1982 Sweden, SHONE ERIC JÖNSSEN; average 160 points. Barbary Red Deer (Cervus e. barbarus) 117.88 points, Algeria, n.n.; average: no records. Maral (Cervus e. maral) 207.42 points, 1956 Turkey; average: no records.
Hunting methods: Stalking, high seat, with beaters.
Subspecies: 11 acc. to LOWE and GARDINER (1974), and WEMMER (1984) the Author follows this new reclassification I: Elaphus group: 5 Subspecies:
1. West European Red Deer Cervus e. elaphus (Linné, 1758), syn. scoticus, hippelaphus, athlanticus, hispanicus Great Britain, Norway, Sweden, Denmark, FRG, GDR, the Netherlands, Belgium, Luxembourg, France, Spain, Portugal, Poland, CSSR, Hungary, Yugoslavia, Greece, Liechtenstein, Switzerland, Italy, Austria. Stable. Introduced into: New Zealand, Australia, Argentina, Chile, USA, western USSR, Morocco 1952, FERNANDO POÓ 1954. Total estimated numbers: 1 000 000. Estimated numbers acc. to the CIC Symposium "Red Deer", Altenfelden, 1986: Austria: 95 000; Belgium: 4000; Bulgaria: 18 000; CSSR: 49 000; Denmark: 5000; France: 35 000; GDR: 45 000; FRG: 85 000; Great Britain: 270 000; Greece: 300; Hungary: 45 000; Italy: 8900; Sardinia: 350-400; Liechtenstein: 400; Luxemburg: 400?; the Nether lands: 1000; Norway: 55 000; Poland: 70 000; Portugal: 400; Romania: 45 000; Spain: 75 000; Sweden: 2000; Switzerland: 22 000; Tunisia: 1100; USSR: 50 000; Yugoslavia: 25 000.
2. Eastern Red Deer Cervus e. montanus, syn. brauneri Western USSR, Romania, Bulgaria, Crimea, northern Caucasia. Stable. Estimated numbers: USSR: 50 000 (Crimea: 2100); Romania: 45 000; Bulgaria: 18 000.
3. Maral Cervus e. maral USSR, Caucasia; Turkey, northern Iran. Stable in USSR. Rare in Turkey and Iran. Estimated numbers: USSR: 3-4000; Turkey: 1000; Iran: no records.
4. Sardinian Deer, Cervus e. corsicanus Corsica, Sardinia and Tavolara. (Reintroduced into Corsica 5,1969). Endangered. Estimated numbers: 400.
5. Barbary Deer Cervus e. barbarus Tunisia and Algeria. Endangered. Estimated numbers. 1150; Tunisia: 1000; Algeria: 150.
6. Bactrian Deer Cervus e. bactrianus USSR - Tadzikistan, USSR - Turkmeniya and Uzbekistan; northern Afghanistan. Endangered. Estimated numbers: 1100.
7. Kashmir Deer or Hangul Cervus e. hanglu Kashmir. Endangered. Estimated numbers: 500-600.
8. Shou Cervus e. wallichi, syn. affinis South-eastern Xizang (Tibet); probably also in Bhutan (pers. comm. OSWALD and in lit. DONAUBAUER 1988). Stable. Estimated numbers: 5-10 000 (pers. comm. OSWALD 1988).
9. Yarkand Deer Cervus e. yarkandensis China; Tarim basin in Xinjiang (Sinkiang). Stable. Estimated numbers: 8-10 000 (pers. comm. OSWALD 1988).
10. M'Neill's Deer Cervus e. macneilli China; north-western Sichuan (Szechwan) to the border of Xizang (Tibet). Stable. Estimated numbers: 30-40 000 (pers. comm. OSWALD 1988).
11. Kansu Deer Cervus e. kansuensis China; Gansu (Kansu), northern Sichuan (Szechwan), Ningxia (Ningshia), Shaannxi (Shensi). Stable. Estimated numbers: 50 000 (pers. comm. WANG WEI).
Remarks: The reclassification of Red Deer listed here (acc. WEMMER 1982) does not correspond with the subspecies, still valid for hunting exhibitions, as shown here for the SCI, RW's and CIC Trophy measurements. For nearly all Red Deer populations, except C.e. corsicanus, C.e. barbarus, C.e. hanglu and C.e. bactrianus, it can be confirmed that they are stable worldwide. Recent reports from China are also very optimistic concerning the existing local subspecies as C.e. wallichi, C.e. yarkandensis, C.e. macnelli and C.e. kansuensis. They are increasing and are well managed; also on 20 Big Game farms. In Game Parks also 500 000 (pers. comm. OSWALD and BAIJI-YIN 1988). Introductions into Australia, New Zealand, Argentina, Chile, USA, Morocco, were successful; not, however, into Finland; Fernando Póo? Estimated numbers: New Zealand: 500 000 in the wild; 500 000 on game farms (both acc. to pers. comm. REUSS 1988); Australia: 120; Argentina: 10-20 000; Chile; 3-4000 (both acc. to pers. comm. STAUDT 1988); USA: 120; Morocco: 500; Fernando Póo: No records. In Argentina and Chile Red Deer are also widespread, causing problems to forests and agriculture. This damage becomes more and more of a problem to all countries concerned; unfortunately authorities, public opinion and politicians pay great attention to the damage caused by Red Deer to forests and ask for drastic reduction - even complete extinction - in some regions. They do not seem to be aware that the main damage in forests is caused by machinery (up to 12%), by domestic cattle (4%), and Red Deer (with only 7%!). The forestry authorities have been partly responsible for this serious situation, because they planted forest monoculture (pines) instead of mixed, deciduous forests. |
