<#000000>Roe deer/fawn
<#868686>(Capreolus capreolus)<IMG=./Data/Lexicon/Rehkitz_Closeup01.dds>
<#000000>Description

<#868686>The young of roe deer are called fawns. 

<#000000>Appearance
<#868686>A fawn's coat is mainly reddish brown with white spots on its back and flanks, although black fawns are also observed regularly in northern Germany. Fawns weigh about 2 lbs when they are born. 

An adult male roe deer has antlers and is called a roebuck, while the female is called a doe. An adult roe deer is between 3 and 5 feet tall with a shoulder height of 2 to 3 feet with long, slender legs. Roe deer can weigh up to 45 lbs. Their summer coat is a yellowish-red color, whereas their winter coat is gray-brown. The deer molt in spring, between April and May, and in the fall, between September and October. Roe deer can also be identified by a white flash on their hindquarters, known as the "caudal patch." 
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<#000000>Origin
<#868686>European roe deer can be found almost everywhere in Europe and Asia Minor, although they are not found on the Mediterranean islands of southern Greece or in Ireland. Roe deer breed very quickly in Scandinavia and are now found across the entire Scandinavian peninsula. 

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<#000000>Habitat
<#868686>Areas with a large number of trees and bushes, woodland with access to open ground, and fields or meadows containing thickets provide plenty of cover and are therefore ideal habitats for roe deer. The deer have the perfect build for this kind of environment, as they can move through the trees and bushes without making a sound. Roe deer are extremely adaptable creatures and find it easy to adjust to new surroundings.



<#000000>Species and breeds
<#868686>The roe deer is often mistaken for a female red deer, but it actually belongs to a subfamily of the genus containing moose and red deer. The roe deer is probably descended from an animal called "Procapreolus" that lived on Earth approximately 10 million years ago; the European roe deer has existed for around 3 million years. The roe deer species is divided into 3 subspecies: the European roe deer, the Siberian roe deer, and the Chinese roe deer.

<#000000>Life expectancy
<#868686>Roe deer survive for between 10 and 12 years in the wild, but can live for up to 17 years in captivity.<IMG=./Data/Lexicon/Rehkitz03.dds>
<#000000>Behavior

<#000000>Habits
<#868686>Roe deer form small herds, mainly based around a family unit. Adult males leave the herd during the mating season, but in winter the deer meet up again and form herds comprising up to 50 animals. 
Roe deer are mainly active at dawn and dusk. In Central Europe, the deer only leave their territory if food becomes scarce. 
Roe deer are extremely agile and excel in jumping, climbing and swimming. They can jump over high obstacles and may even leap around for the mere fun of it if there is nothing in its path. 
An alarmed roebuck emits a barking sound that resembles the bark of a large dog. The female roe deer has a high-pitched call and fawns also call.
Roe deer have a very good sense of hearing and smell. 




<#000000>Predators
<#868686>The roe deer has many enemies: wolves, bears, lynxes, wildcats, foxes, eagles, and especially humans.

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<#000000>Breeding habits
<#868686>The Central European roe deer's mating season is in late July and August. The roebucks mark their territory with scent marks; if a male rival attempts to enter another buck's territory, a violent fight will ensue until the intruder is driven away. The female calls to attract the male and the resulting chases are repeated several times.  
Pregnancy lasts between 9 and 10 months in a roe deer. The doe usually gives birth to 2 fawns in a litter but may produce up to 4. 
Fawns lie in the grass on their own, but this does not mean they have been abandoned; they are simply unable to stand up yet. Handling one of these animals affects its scent so that its mother no longer recognizes it and will therefore cease to care for her own young, so it is very important never to touch a fawn! During the first few days the doe only visits the newborn fawns to suckle them to avoid revealing the location of her young to predators. A fawn then starts to follow its mother after less than a week. 

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<#000000>Ownership

<#000000>Diet
<#868686>The roe deer is a ruminant and is therefore completely herbivorous. It eats mainly grasses, leaves, shoots, herbs, buds, wild fruits, and arable crops.