INFORMATION Anatolian Red Deer ( Cervus Elaphus )
The Anatolian Red Deer, which is also the symbol of Anatolia Safari, was one of the most liked animals which were hunted by the oldest civilizations of Anatolia. So much that the Hittites admired this wild species as their symbol of power.
On account of heavy hunting in the last centuries, the Anatolian Red Deer was threatened with extinction, so that it was put under preservation for more than 70 years. The trophies of Anatolian Red Deer, hunted during 2004 - 2005 with restricted licences, had enormous sizes and reached a weight up to 14,5 kg.
The habitat of Anatolian Red Deer is the triangle area covering the Mediterrenean, Egean and Central Anatolia and stretching to the North of the country to the Black Sea region. It reaches a upper body length of 2 meters, 1.50 meters shoulder hight and a weight of 300 kg.
The horns, which are grown only on males, are located on a so - called crown. The horns are shed from February to April every year and reformed in 120 days. The colorization varies according to the season, sex and age: brown grey in winter, redish brown in summer, light brown yellowish around the tail.
The males are considerably bigger than the females. Owing to its unique body structure, the Anatolian Red Deer is one of the most important Red Deer in the world together with the European Red Deer and Caucasian Maral.
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Anatolia Safari Team