{
  "@context": "https://schema.org",
  "@type": "Taxon",
  "slug": "red-deer",
  "name": "Red Deer",
  "scientificName": "Cervus elaphus",
  "category": "Mammal",
  "summary": "The red deer is one of the largest deer species, with stags weighing up to 240 kg (530 lb) and carrying impressive antlers used in autumn roaring contests. Native across Europe, western Asia, and North Africa, it also includes the North American elk (wapiti) as a subspecies complex.",
  "conservationStatus": "Least Concern",
  "taxonomy": {
    "kingdom": "Animalia",
    "phylum": "Chordata",
    "class": "Mammalia",
    "order": "Artiodactyla",
    "family": "Cervidae",
    "genus": "Cervus"
  },
  "stats": {
    "weightKg": 180,
    "lengthM": 2.1,
    "topSpeedKmh": 70,
    "lifespanYears": 15
  },
  "facts": [
    {
      "label": "Scientific name",
      "value": "Cervus elaphus"
    },
    {
      "label": "Diet",
      "value": "Herbivore — grasses, heather, bark, and browse"
    },
    {
      "label": "Habitat",
      "value": "Woodlands, moorland, and grasslands across Eurasia"
    },
    {
      "label": "Lifespan",
      "value": "10–15 years in the wild (stags often shorter due to rut stress)"
    },
    {
      "label": "Weight",
      "value": "Stags 90–240 kg; hinds 63–120 kg"
    },
    {
      "label": "Top speed",
      "value": "Up to 70 km/h (43 mph) in flight"
    },
    {
      "label": "Conservation status",
      "value": "Least Concern (IUCN)"
    }
  ],
  "range": {
    "nativeRange": "Native across Europe, western Asia, and North Africa; introduced to New Zealand, Argentina, Chile, Australia, and North America where elk (wapiti) are a closely related form.",
    "continents": [
      "Africa",
      "Asia",
      "Europe",
      "North America",
      "Oceania",
      "South America"
    ]
  },
  "sources": [
    {
      "citation": "IUCN Red List — Cervus elaphus.",
      "url": "https://www.iucnredlist.org/search?query=Cervus%20elaphus&searchType=species"
    },
    {
      "citation": "Animal Diversity Web — Cervus elaphus. University of Michigan Museum of Zoology.",
      "url": "https://animaldiversity.org/accounts/Cervus_elaphus/"
    },
    {
      "citation": "Wikipedia — Red Deer.",
      "url": "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Red_deer"
    }
  ],
  "lastReviewed": "2026-07-16",
  "canonicalUrl": "https://globalanimalguide.org/animals/red-deer/",
  "license": {
    "name": "CC BY-NC 4.0",
    "url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/",
    "attribution": "Global Animal Guide — https://globalanimalguide.org/animals/red-deer/",
    "note": "Free to reuse for non-commercial purposes with attribution and a link back to the canonical page."
  }
}