Fallow Deer
(Dama dama)

Fallow Deer Thermal Drone Survey

The Fallow deer is a medium-sized deer species that is now common across England, Wales, Ireland, and parts of Scotland. Originally native to Asia, Fallow deer were introduced to the UK by the Normans in the 11th century. Initially kept in enclosed deer parks, they later escaped or were released into the wild, where they have since become firmly established.

Fallow deer display a wide variety of coat colours, but the most common is a light gingery-brown with distinct white spots along the back. They feature a characteristic white rump patch, sharply outlined in black, and a black and white tail. Other colour morphs include:

Melanistic (dark brown to black, often without spots)

Leucistic or white (very pale, sometimes appearing nearly pure white)

Menil (lighter variant with more prominent spotting)

Fallow deer are now one of the most numerous deer species in the UK, with populations expanding rapidly in many regions. In recent decades, numbers have reached very high densities in some areas, with herds of 500+ individuals being frequently recorded.

In some landscapes where BHWC has conducted repeat population counts, we have observed a significant sex ratio imbalance - often heavily skewed toward females. This, combined with an insufficient annual cull effort, means that population recruitment is not being adequately addressed. In one exceptional case, we recorded a single herd exceeding 1,800 individuals - potentially the largest deer herd in Europe (excluding Reindeer).