Essential SNMP, 2nd Edition

Colophon

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The animals on the cover of Essential SNMP, Second Edition are red deer (Cervus elaphus). Male red deer, also known as stags or harts, can grow to over 400 pounds. and stand 42–54 inches tall at the shoulder. Females, or hinds, are more slightly built and usually reach a weight of only about 200 pounds. The color of the red deer's coat ranges from a warm reddish-brown in the summer to a darker grayish-brown in winter. Calves are spotted at birth, but the spots fade after about two months.

The typical family group consists of a hind, a new calf, a yearling calf, and perhaps a two- or three-year-old stag. Mature stags and hinds live in separate groups for most of the year, with the hinds tending to monopolize the better, more grassy habitats. At the start of the mating season (the rut) in the early fall, the stags split up and join the females. Each eligible stag establishes a harem of up to 20 or more hinds, which he defends vigorously during the rut. During this period, which typically lasts 6–8 weeks, the stags often forego eating and can lose as much as 15% of their body mass.

Red deer are one of the most widely distributed deer species: although they are native to Europe, today they can be found everywhere from New Zealand to North ...