A deer (pl.: deer) or true deer is a hoofed ruminant ungulate of the family Cervidae (informally the deer family). Cervidae is divided into subfamilies Cervinae (which includes, among others, muntjac, elk (wapiti), red deer, and fallow deer) and Capreolinae (which includes, among others reindeer (caribou), white-tailed deer, roe deer, and moose). Male deer of almost all species (except the water deer), as well as female reindeer, grow and shed new antlers each year. These antlers are bony extensions of the skull and are often used for combat between males. Deer[1] Temporal range: Early Miocene–Recent  PreꞒ Ꞓ O S D C P T J K Pg N Images of a few members of the family Cervidae (clockwise from top left): the red deer (Cervus elaphus), sika deer (Cervus nippon), barasingha (Rucervus duvaucelii), caribou (Rangifer tarandus) and white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus)Scientific classificationDomain:EukaryotaKingdom:AnimaliaPhylum:ChordataClass:MammaliaOrder:ArtiodactylaInfraorder:PecoraFamily:Cervidae Goldfuss, 1820Type genusCervus Linnaeus, 1758 Subfamilies Capreolinae Cervinae The musk deer (Moschidae) of Asia and chevrotains (Tragulidae) of tropical African and Asian forests are separate families that are also in the ruminant clade Ruminantia; they are not especially closely related to Cervidae. Deer appear in art from Paleolithic cave paintings onwards, and they have played a role in mythology, religion, and literature throughout history, as well as in heraldry, such as red deer that appear in the coat of arms of Åland.[2] Their economic importance includes the use of their meat as venison, their skins as soft, strong buckskin, and their antlers as handles for knives. Deer hunting has been a popular activity since the Middle Ages and remains a resource for many families today. Etymology and terminology "The Stag Hunt of Frederick III, Elector of Saxony" by Lucas Cranach the Elder, 1529 The word deer was originally broad in meaning, becoming more specific with time. Old English dēor and Middle English der meant a wild animal of any kind. Cognates of Old English dēor in other dead Germanic languages have the general sense of animal, such as Old High German tior, Old Norse djur or dȳr, Gothic dius, Old Saxon dier, and Old Frisian diar.[3] This general sense gave way to the modern English sense by the end of the Middle English period, around 1500. All modern Germanic languages save English and Scots retain the more general sense: for example, Dutch/Frisian dier, German Tier, and Norwegian dyr mean 'animal'.[4] For many types of deer in modern English usage, the male is a buck and the female a doe, but the terms vary with dialect, and according to the size of the species. The male red deer is a stag, while for other large species the male is a bull, the female a cow, as in cattle. In older usage, the male of any species is a hart, especially if over five years old, and the female is a hind, especially if three or more years old.[5] The young of small species is a fawn and of large species a calf; a very small young may be a kid. A castrated male is a havier.[6] A group of any species is a herd. The adjective of relation is cervine; like the family name Cervidae, this is from Latin: cervus, meaning 'stag' or 'deer The impala or rooibok (Aepyceros melampus) is a medium-sized antelope found in eastern and southern Africa. The only extant member of the genus Aepyceros, and tribe Aepycerotini, it was first described to Europeans by German zoologist Hinrich Lichtenstein in 1812. Two subspecies are recognised—the grassland-dwelling common impala (sometimes referred to as the Kenyan impala), and the larger and darker black-faced impala, which lives in slightly more arid, scrubland environments. The impala reaches 70–92 cm (28–36 in) at the shoulder and weighs 40–76 kg (88–168 lb). It features a glossy, reddish brown coat. The male's slender, lyre-shaped horns are 45–92 cm (18–36 in) long. Impala  MaleFemale with calf both in Kruger National Park, South Africa Conservation status  Least Concern  (IUCN 3.1)[1] Scientific classificationDomain:EukaryotaKingdom:AnimaliaPhylum:ChordataClass:MammaliaOrder:ArtiodactylaFamily:BovidaeTribe:AepycerotiniGenus:AepycerosSpecies: A. melampus Binomial nameAepyceros melampus (Lichtenstein, 1812) Subspecies A. m. melampus Lichtenstein, 1812 A. m. petersi Bocage, 1879 Distribution:   Black-faced impala   Common impala Synonyms[2] show List Active mainly during the day, the impala may be gregarious or territorial depending upon the climate and geography. Three distinct social groups can be observed: the territorial males, bachelor herds and female herds. The impala is known for two characteristic leaps that constitute an anti-predator strategy. Browsers as well as grazers, impala feed on .

• published: 19 Oct 2024
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