New Forest Deer

The New Forest is also well known for its deer population as well as for its ponies and there are several different breed of deer which live in the forest. The most commonly spotted of these is the 'fallow deer'. This deer has characteristic black markings around the tail and are normally seen around the northern areas of the forest. They habitually graze in open areas, perhaps partly the reason they are most likely to be seen by visitors.

The red deer is another occupant of the forest but sightings of this deer are not so common. They are probably the largest of the deer inhabitants living in the forest, and if you are lucky (and up very early in the morning!), may be seen close to Ashurst at dawn.

The deer have no natural predator and so approximately 800 are culled each year. This is to keep their numbers from increasing beyond a level that the forest, and its inhabitants, is able to support.

The cull is carried out by forest 'Keepers' and they do this by shooting the deer. However, Keepers have been known to hand rear any orphaned foals, and in this respect are not quite as hard hearted as they may usually be seen.

In the late nineteenth century two breeds of deer were introduced to the forest that are not indigenous to the area, or indeed to the UK. They are the Japanese 'sika' deer and the Chinese 'Muntjac' deer. Sika deer have primarily populated the area south the railway line which runs through the forest. They are a shy species and like to stay hidden in the woodland. The Muntjac deer are very small, and so are often difficult to spot. Only very small numbers of them are living in the forest.