Growth and Variation in Fallow Deer (Dama dama L.) From Two Contrasting Habitats in Southern Britain

We have compiled a unique data set on the age, sex, body weight and dimensions of over 500 European fallow deer from two contrasting areas of habitat in southern England: a high‐density managed parkland population and a lower‐density feral woodland one. We plot growth in body weight, shoulder height and bone dimensions against individual age, assessing sexual dimorphism and regional differences in growth from birth, the timing of cessation of growth and adult size. This variation can be related to differences in habitat, feeding, population density and season of death between the two populations. We highlight the biases inherent in body weight comparisons and contrast them with size comparisons based on postcranial bones. We also identify potential differences in bodily dimensions between the colour morphs of European fallow deer. Finally, we generate predictive equations enabling the estimation of sex, shoulder height and body mass from isolated metapodials, of value for relating fallow deer remains to palaeoenvironmental variation at archaeological and palaeontological sites.