The fallow deer is recognized by the male’s broad, palmate antlers. Coat forms include spotted, white and dark individuals.
Male antlers broaden into a flat palm. The spotted reddish-brown coat form becomes darker in winter.
Male fallow deer repeatedly produce low-pitched groans during the breeding season. When hearing other males, they look toward the sound or approach it. Their responses change with the pitch and duration of the calls.
Research published in 2015 conducted playback experiments during the 2012 rut in Petworth Park, West Sussex, UK. The subjects were ten mature males that held breeding territories and were vocalizing. Each heard another male’s natural groans and versions modified in pitch, resonance or duration. They looked toward lowered-pitch calls sooner and paid attention for longer than they did to the original calls.
When the original calls were shortened, the males took longer to look toward the sound and looked for less time. They were also more likely to approach the shortened calls. The authors interpreted these responses as assessment of a rival’s competitive ability. Even when unable to see the caller, males adjusted their attention and approach according to the voice they heard.
An extinction-risk assessment has not been added yet.
Türkiye’s Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry carries out fallow-deer protection, breeding and translocation. On 9 May 2020, it reported that fifteen males destined for Manavgat and eight males destined for Köyceğiz had entered a ten-day acclimatization period at their destination sites. The Manavgat site had a fenced acclimatization enclosure with hiding places, food and water. Six deer received satellite-linked collars, and staff monitored the acclimatization period. Release into the surrounding natural habitat was planned after the acclimatization period.