Roe deer

Capreolus capreolus

Overview

Photo credit: ©

Habitat:

Urban & gardens
Coniferous, deciduous and mixed woodlands (in particular woodlands and forest edges)
Heathland
Arable land

Description:

It is a small deer, with a reddish brown coat in summer which changes to grey in the winter
They have a distinctive black moustache stripe and white chin
Appear tail-less with white/cream rump patch
Antlers appear short and erect with no more than three points on the males (bucks)
60 - 75 cm tall at the shoulder. 10-25kg in weight
Males slightly larger than females

Origin and Distribution:

Became extinct from Great Britain in the 18th century, but it was reintroduced in the 19th century to Dorset and East Anglia
It is now widespread in Scotland and much of England-abundant in many areas
Roe deer are increasing in range, spreading southward from their Scottish refuge and northward and westward from the reintroduced populations
Not yet established in most of the Midlands and Kent
No confirmed records in Northern Ireland

Impacts:

Roe deer cause damage to forestry, agriculture and horticulture
Overgrazing which prevents regeneration of woodland
Trample vegetation and strip bark from trees

Is it found in Northern Ireland?

It is not established in Northern Ireland, a few individual records
More distribution information can be found at NBN Atlas NI.

You can help by reporting any sightings: @ the Centre for Environmental Data & Recording (CEDaR) - Or via the iRecord App.

How did it get Here?

Roe deer were introduced to Ireland during 1860’s and 1870’s and shot out during 1st half of the 20th century (Prior, 1995)
For example, roe deer from Scotland were introduced to the Lissadell Estate in Co. Sligo around 1870 by Sir Henry Gore-Booth (Tegner, 1951)
The Lissadell deer survived in that general area for about 50 years before they died out (Tegner, 1951)
To-date, the species is not known to be established in Ireland or Northern Ireland

Prevent Spread

Do not introduce Roe deer to the wild from private collections
Report all sightings.

For further queries, you can contact the Invasive Non Native Species (INNS) Team in the Northern Ireland Environment Agency on 028 9056 9558 or Email: invasivespecies@daera-ni.gov.uk

Roe deer

Capreolus capreolus

Overview

Invasive Species Northern Ireland