A mother deer rushes towards recorded infant cries regardless of whether the offspring is deer, cats, humans, or dogs! Other than their amazing motherly instincts, a question most people have is how long do deer live?
Before we go into the details, here is a summary of the average lifespan of deer.
- The average lifespan of deer is 4 to 5 years in the wild. This is an estimate as there are so many deer species in the wild with different lifespans.
- Deer can live up to 20 years in captivity. The oldest deer, Bambi a red deer was recorded to live up to 31 years old!
- White-tailed deer live for 4 to 6 years in the wild, and 6 to 14 years in captivity.
The Average Lifespan of a Deer
The deer have an average lifespan of 4 to 5 years in the wild, and 6 to 20 years in captivity. Male deer living in the wild have a shorter lifespan of 3 years or less, while females can live up to 6.5 years.
Deer lifespan generally depends on their species. There are over 51 species of deer worldwide, and we cannot exhaustively have a look at all of them.
Let us have a look at a few of the deer species with their various lifespans.
| Average lifespan of deer in the wild | Average lifespan of deer in captivity | |
| White-tailed deer | 4-6 years | 6-14 years |
| Moose | 15-25 years | 20-25 years |
| Chitals / Indian spotted deer | 5-10 years | May reach 22 years |
| Red deer | 10-13 years | Over 20 years |
| Roe deer | 7-10 years | 20 years |
| Sambar deer | 20 years | 26 years |
| Muntjac deer | 10-13 years | 16-20 years |
| Elk | 10-13 years | 20 years |
| Reindeer/Caribous | 10-15 years | Same as in the wild |
| Mule deer | 10 years | 25 years |
| Fallow deer | 8-16 years | 20-25 years |
| Musk deer | 6-14 years | Same as in the wild |
From the above illustration, you will see that deer live longer in captivity than when in the wild.
Several factors decrease their lifespan such as being killed by predators, hunting of wild deer species, and being killed through road accidents. These are just a few causes of death among the wild deer species.
Deer in captivity hardly face any predators hence their increased lifespans. They are also provided with adequate food by their captors. Competing for food with others as in the wild is never a headache.
Interestingly, some deer species are not comfortable in captivity. The roe deer specifically lives longer in the wild than when in captivity.
How Long Do White-Tailed Deer Live?
As shown above, the white-tailed deer has an average lifespan of 4 to 6 years in the wild. The male deer has a life expectancy of 2.9 years while the female can live up to 6.5 years.
Due to different areas having different climates, the deer lifespan is largely affected by this. The white-tailed deer population is affected mostly by natural disasters such as flooding, and severe cold in some areas.
The main predator of white-tailed deer is coyotes. They have caused a whopping 54% of white tail deer deaths.
In captivity, the white-tailed deer can live for 6 to 14 years. They live longer since they are well cared for with enough food and protection from predators.
Related article: Average lifespan of a Lion
How Long Do Mule Deer Live?
The mule deer have an average lifespan of 10 years in the wild and can live up to 25 years in captivity.
Since they cannot fight, they run at a speed of 45 miles per hour escaping from their predators. If you cannot fight, then flight is the only option left!
Mule deer are known to feed heavily in the warm season to reserve body fat to survive the winter. Their bodies have adapted to store body fat to survive the cold weather.
How Long Do Axis Deer Live?
Axis deer have an average life expectancy of 5 to 10 years in the wild, and up to 20 years in captivity. They are also known as the Indian spotted deer because they are mostly found in India.
Their name Chitals comes from the markings on their bodies that resemble those of cheetahs. Axis deer face predators such as wild dogs and leopards who immensely reduce their population. [1]
Deforestation has also made them lose their natural habitat. Cutting down natural forests usually makes these animals lose their homes and source of food. They become easy prey and also die early due to starvation.
Related articles: How Long Do Turtles Live?
How Long Do Deer Live in The Wild?
Deer in the wild have an average lifespan of 4 to 5 years. Since there are so many species of deer, each has its own variable lifespan.
Male deer have a shorter lifespan because they have to go out and look for food hence exposing them to more danger.
Deer are mostly attacked by mountain lions, wolves, coyotes, and bears. Predators usually target young deer because they are easier to attack and kill.
Many people hunt deer for their meat and skins thus reducing their population significantly. The New Zealand red deer is known to produce a rare fiber that is very soft used to make luxury socks. Can you imagine capturing deer just for fashion?
Believe it or not the number of deer killed by road accidents is the same as those killed by hunting. Unfortunately, most deer usually wander off to roads and meet their ultimate death.
Conclusion
We have seen that there are many factors controlled and uncontrollable that affect a deer’s lifespan. Captivity poses less danger and overall security for the deer life expectancy.
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