Introduction
Capreolus capreolus
The “Cabirol” is the smallest European deer, weighing 15 to 30 kg when adult, and has a length of just over one metre.
Disappeared years ago, it was not until 1993 that a few males and females were introduced of this species in the mountains of “Montnegre” from the southwest of France, whom gradually has been extending along neighbouring mountains, and is now common to find traces and even see some of them.
They primarily feed on leaves of shrubs and small trees, as well as berries and buds, and live almost all the time inside the forests, they go out into the open on rare occasions. They have crepuscular habits, meaning that if we want to see them, we must do it early in the day or late in the evening before it gets dark.
Males have small tri-pointed antlers that they replace every year in early winter and they start developing them when spring starts. Another characteristic is the change of colour of their hair coat, reddish in summer and turning grey in winter.