Roe deer fawns

admin
, 22 June 2018
Roe deer fawns
Roe deer fawn © Mark Monk-Terry

By Charlotte Owen

WildCall Officer

Hidden among the tall grass, a young roe deer lies perfectly still. She is curled up small and her dappled coat blends with her leafy surroundings so effectively that she is almost invisible to potential predators. Not far away, her twin brother is tucked up in his own secret spot and there they will stay, silent and un-moving, until their mother returns to feed them. She is close by, browsing on brambles, grasses, herbs and low-hanging branches. She will select the freshest and most nutritious shoots from this bounty of lush spring vegetation to make sure she can produce plenty of high-calorie milk for her young, and it is safest for them to stay hidden while she grazes.

It is no accident that the timing of their birth coincides with such a rich leafy feast. Most roe deer fawns are born in late May and early June when spring has sprung, the weather is mild and food is plentiful. No surprises there - this gives them the best possible start in life and improves their odds of survival.

However the roe deer breeding season - or rut - takes place in the summer between July and August, and with a gestation period of around five months their fawns would be born some time in December if they started to develop straight away. This would be a bit of a disaster, so to solve this problem roe deer females exhibit a reproductive strategy known as seasonal delayed implantation. They mate in July, when they are in peak physical condition and at their most fertile, but the resulting embryos will not start to develop until December. This means the pregnant mothers can keep fattening up throughout the autumn to boost their own chances of surviving the winter, and their young will be born into the favourable conditions and relative safety of spring.It’s a successful strategy, usually resulting in twins and sometimes triplets.They will stay in their grassy hideaways for the first six weeks of their lives until they are strong enough to follow their mother into the forest, staying close by her side as they learn to forage for themselves.

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Comments

  • Annette Hare:

    Thank you the information is very informative…. I have a newborn roe..in my field at present…. does the mother normally leave it out in the open field? I find it odd it will stay there for six weeks but I suppose nature knows best… My wood is only about 50 metres away… It is only the second newborn I have passed by in 15 years in same field… The deer often calve in same field but have only ever seen a calf at foot of mother when a little bigger.. Warmed the heart to see one yesterday.

    20 May 2021 19:55:00

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