Fallow deer (Dama Dama) are considered as a naturalised, though re-introduced species. Although fallow deer were present some 400,000 years ago in Britain, later glaciations restricted them to the Mediterranean basin. There are no reliable records of them being imported into Britain before the Norman Conquest, after which they were kept widely in parks for both food and ornament. They were also preserved in the wild for hunting, e.g. in Bernwood Forest.
Fallow are a herding species and exhibit extreme flexibility in most aspects of their social organisation, group size is flexible and influenced by both habitat and season. In high-density populations in large woodlands, males live in separate groups to the females and young, except during the autumn rut. In lower-density populations in agricultural areas, however, mixed-sex groups may regularly occur throughout the winter.
The ideal habitat is a mosaic of established mixed broad-leaved woodlands and arable fields. However, fallow make a living in a range of habitats, from commercial conifer plantations to large open agricultural areas with small woodlands. Although primarily grazers, they take a variety of vegetation and, at high densities, may cause considerable damage to woodland flora and forestry or farm crops.
This cache is a clip lock box in a camouflage bag. There is a certificate for the First To Find. Please feel free to swap any item in the ‘cache but please remember, if you take something, leave something of equal or greater value in return.
Renumbered from 13 to 9 to create a more logical series around the forest.
First To Find honours go to: Mackiespal
N.B. All the caches in this series have been granted permission to be placed by Joanne Mason, the Beat Manager for the forest, and written permission has been passed to the Reviewers. The Forestry Commission will not give permission for any more caches in these woods. Please do not ask the Reviewers to place any further caches as the FC will not allow it and placement of further caches will result in geocaching being banned in this area.,/p>