Australia is home to a wide variety of animals, including deer. There are many types of deer in Australia.
A few centuries ago, European and Asian people introduced deer into the country.
Specifically, between the 1800s and 1900s, they introduced several species of deer, alongside other animals, to Australia, and quite a number of them have thrived and formed larger populations.
Six species of deer inhabit the Australian wildlands, posing threats to the flora and fauna ecosystem, which necessitates the legalization of their hunting.
This article explores the types of deer commonly found in Australia.
1. Fallow Deer
Fallow deer (Dama Dama), the European fallow, made its way to Australia around 1830. Fallows originally hail from regions in Europe, Spain, Asia, and North-West Africa, exhibiting medium size and a range of coat colors.
Adult males weigh between 50-100kg and stand between 90-95 cm long, while adult females weigh between 35-55kg and 80-83cm long.
Fallows have long tails, and as with other types of deer in Australia, the females lack antlers.
People consider the fallow deer the most widespread of the six introduced species in Australia, with a sizeable population in Tasmania, South Australia, Victoria, New South Wales, and Queensland.
Fallow deer primarily inhabit habitats with open forests and scrubs, grassland, scattered farmlands, and mountainous areas.
2. Sambar Deer
Like other types of deer in Australia, the Sambar deer (Rusa Unicolor) was introduced into the country between the 1800s and 1900s.
Sambar is the largest feral deer species in Australia. Compared with other species of wild deer, they possess large, round ears and huge bodies.
Adult males typically weigh an average of 300kg and grow about 2.4m tall, while mature females weigh around 230kg and are 2.4m long.
The sambar’s coat color is uniformly distributed and coarse in texture. The males have antlers that can grow up to 75cm in length.
Sambar deer exhibit solitary and semi-nocturnal behavior, staying concealed during the daytime.
Their habitat encompasses closed woodlands, forests, and thick-timbered farmlands. A substantial population of sambar deer exists in South Australia, Victoria, and New South Wales.
3. Red Deer
The red deer (Cervus Elaphus) is one of the deer types in Australia with a rather unique feature.
In the summer, they exhibit a reddish coat color, and during the winter, they have a distinctive pale rump patch.
Europeans introduced this deer species to Australia between 1860 and 1874 to enhance the Australian wildlife population and for sport hunting.
Over the years, the species grew to adapt to the Australian landscape and established a significant presence.
Mature males typically weigh between 135 and 220 kg, while females usually weigh around 90 to 95 kg. Males are known for their large antlers, which can grow up to 90 cm long.
Red deer can be recognized by their pellets, footprints, and distinctive roaring call.
Red deer inhabit mixed grassland habitats, rainforests, and woodlands. Unlike sambar deer, they do not lead solitary lives.
Red deer are widely distributed within South Australia, Victoria, New South Wales, and Queensland.
4. Rusa Deer
The Rusa deer (Cervus timorensis), native to Southeast Asia, entered Australia in the late 1800s.
They are medium-sized deer with distinctive light chests and throats. Australia is home to two subspecies of Rusa deer: Javan Rusa (Cervus timorensis russa) and Moluccan Rusa (Cervus timorensis moluccensis).
Rusa deer have coats ranging from greyish to yellowish or reddish brown, with darker brown on their hands and thighs.
Javen rusa stags typically grow up to 110cm in length and weigh up to 120kg, while Moluccan russa, which are smaller, grow up to be about 95cm long and 80kg in weight.
The antlers of male deer can grow up to 96cm in length. During the mating season, the male rusa deer often decorate their antlers with twigs and grasses to establish dominance over other males.
Like other deer types in Australia, rusa deer are distributed across various parts of the country, with a primary presence in South Australia, New South Wales, and Queensland.
Their habitat ranges from woodlands, forests, and timberland forests.
5. Chital Deer
Chital deer (Cervus Axis) were first introduced to Australia from Sri Lanka and India in the early 1800s, but the species didn’t survive.
They were later introduced again into Queensland in the 1860s, and this time, they adapted well to the country.
They have white patches and spots on their throats and bodies, dark dorsal stripes, and longer tails than other deer species.
Male chital deer can grow up to 90cm in length and weigh about 85kg, while females grow up to 80cm in length and weigh up to 60kg.
The antlers of male chitals can also grow to about 89cm long. Typically, chitals are small-medium-sized species of deer.
Chital are known to be gregarious animals, meaning they can be found in the open in large groups.
During the breeding season, females can separate from their herd to give birth and raise their young.
Their habitat ranges from open grasslands, open and closed woodlands, thick forests, and heavily timbered farmlands.
Various parts of the country, specifically Queensland, New South Wales, Victoria, and the southeastern part of South Australia, host these types of deer in Australia.
6. Hog Deer
Hog deer (Axis porcinus), the smallest deer in Australia, arrived in the country in 1866.
They originally belonged to India, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka, and acclimatization societies introduced them to Australia for hunting.
Hog deer get their name from their characteristics: They run through the forest with their heads low and duck rather than jump, a habit similar to that of the wild hogs of the northern hemisphere.
Male hogs grow up to about 70cm in length and weigh an average of 55kg, while females grow up to 60cm in length and weigh around 30kg. Their coat color is a uniform yellow-brown to red-brown.
Their coat color exhibits a creamy spotting during the winter and dark brown in the summer.
Unlike other types of deer in Australia, hog deer have small antlers that extend to just about 35cm in length.
Hog deer typically inhabit wetland habitats like riverine forests, flatlands, and coastal woodlands.
They are also solitary animals that prefer to stay in areas close to shelter rather than vast open spaces. Large populations of hog deer are found in Victoria and New South Wales.
