Four Legged Beasties

Magnificent Red Deer Stag

Red Deer Stag

The Red Deer is the largest UK deer and it is found all over the UK.

The Highlands of Scotland is home to some of the largest herds.  The males have impressive antlers which get larger as they grow older.

Although they usually roam through remote highland estates, in the winter time, if the weather is bad, they will often be seen closer to the road.

The male, like the one pictured here, is called a stag.  The female is known as a hind.

The stags shed their antlers every year after the winter.

The new antlers then start growing in the spring.  During the growing period, the antlers are covered in soft skin known as velvet.

This picture shows a stag with his antlers still covered in velvet

Stag in velvet

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