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The Largest Deer Species

Deer are mammals belonging to the family Cervidae. The males of almost all deer species have antlers, which are shed and regrown each year. Some females have antler stubs. They are found across the world, apart from Antarctica, and prefer habitats with trees and undergrowth, although some species do migrate to savannah areas for feeding. Adult deer vary widely in size and can weight anywhere between 30 to over 400 kg. All deer are herbivores but are much more picky about their food than other animals, preferring to eat young vegetation which is easier to digest.

Moose
- Moose are by far the largest member of the Cervidae family, having an average weight of over 400 kg. They tend to populate cooler regions in the Northern Hemisphere, such as the United States, Canada, Scandinavia and Russia. The largest moose species is the Yukon or Alaskan moose, with adult males weighing nearly 700 kg.
Elk (Wapiti)
- The second largest deer species are elk. Their habitats range from Northern America to Eastern Asia. Places in Europe, such as Scandinavia, do have animals called elk, but there are actually moose. The easiest way to distinguish a moose from an elk is the antlers. Moose have large thick antlers, whereas elk have stick-like antlers similar to those of red deer that can be mistaken for branches. Adult male elk can weigh over 300 kg.
Sambar
- Native to Australia and South Asia, the Sambar is the third largest deer species behind the moose and elk. Adult males can weight around 230 kg and stand over 1 m tall at the shoulder.
Red Deer
- The red deer is the fourth largest deer in the world and had its original habitat in Europe and West Asia. It has since migrated and been introduced to Australia, New Zealand and parts of South America. Its most intriguing habitat is in the Atlas Mountains of North Africa, making it the only deer on the continent. Adult males can weight around 130 kg, although some larger subspecies have been recorded.
Reindeer (Caribou)
- Reindeer in Europe, but Caribou in North America, can be found in many colder Northern Hemisphere habitats, including China, Mongolia, Scandinavia and Alaska. Adult males can weigh over 200 kg, but are normally a lot shorter than other deer species. Female reindeer, unlike all other deer, do not shed their antlers each year.
Irish Elk (Megaloceros)
- The Irish elk, or giant deer, is widely seen as being the largest deer to have ever lived, but died out around 8,000 years ago. Fossils suggest it stood at over 2 m at the shoulder and had antlers weighing 40 kg. It would be most closely related to today's Alaskan moose.

Animals & Science