Fallow deer at Burghley House (2)

@Burghley House Preservation Trust Limited

Burghley's deer are an iconic symbol of the house and estate. Burghley Park is home to over 200 fallow deer. These beautiful animals, which are an integral part of Burghley and have a long association with the House, need looking after. They graze the park for most of the year, and their diet is supplemented with deer nuts and sugar beet throughout the winter months to maintain their health and encourage healthy fawn growth. The deer are carefully monitored for signs of distress and injury and their welfare and well-being are of paramount importance. Annually the deer numbers are managed to maintain a balanced and healthy herd, the resulting venison being sold locally.

@wikipedia
The Fallow Deer was spread across central Europe by the Romans. Until recently it was thought that the Normans introduced them to Great Britain and to Ireland for hunting in the royal forests. However recent finds at Fishbourne Roman Palace show that Fallow Deer were introduced into southern England in the 1st century AD. It is not known whether these escaped to form a feral colony, or whether they died out and were reintroduced by the Normans.

Fallow deer are now widespread on the UK mainland and are present in most of England and Wales below a line drawn from the Wash to the Mersey. There have been long standing populations in the New Forest and the Forest of Dean and many of the other populations originated from park escapees. They are not quite so widespread in the northern parts of England but are present in most lowland areas and also in parts of Scotland, principally in the Tay valley and around Loch Lomond. According to the British Deer Society distribution survey 2007 they have enjoyed an increase in range since the previous survey in 2000 although the increase in range is not as spectacular as for some of the other deer species.

A significant number of the fallow in the Forest of Dean and in Epping Forest are of the black variety. One particularly interesting population is that based in the Mortimer Forest on the England/Wales border where a significant part of the population have long hair with distinct ear tufts and longer body hair.