Trivia

There are no wild deer of any kind in Australia, and the small red deer is the only one found in Africa.

Six species of deer are established in the wild in Australia, having been introduced during the world-wide movement to 'share the world's most beautiful and useful things' as was the objective of the acclimatisation societies which were active in the latter half of the 19th. century. Of the many species which the acclimatisation societies and private individuals introduced, only the chital (Axis axis), fallow deer (Dama dama), hog deer (Axis porcinus), red deer (Cervus elaphus), rusa (Cervus timorensis) and sambar (Cervus unicolor) remain.

During the course of the widespread exchange of species which took place during those years, some mistakes which were to have horrific consequences occurred as animals, plants and insects finding circumstances to which they were uniquely suited, exploded into populations which could not have been dreamed of at the time. Other introductions were less spectacular or failed to survive, but those that did became in many instances exactly what their benefactors set out to achieve -- beautiful and useful things. We only have to look around us to see that almost all of our food resources, for instance, are provided by introduced species.

Deer in Australia continue to suffer the stigma of having been introduced (exotic) in many instances, while conversely being revered by those who take an interest in them. It is probably fair to say that most members of the public are thrilled and excited by the occasional chance sighting of a deer in the wild.