About Capreolus pygargus (Pallas, 1771)
The Siberian roe deer, scientifically named Capreolus pygargus, is a medium-sized metacarpalian deer with a long neck and large ears. Adults typically reach a maximum body length of 146 cm (4.8 ft) and a maximum weight of 59 kg (130 lb), and it is larger than the European roe deer (Capreolus capreolus). On average, the largest populations are found in the Ural and Northern Kazakhstan, followed by populations from the Transbaikal, Amur, and Primolskil regions. Its antlers are larger and have more branches than the antlers of European roe deer. Siberian roe deer generally have a lifespan of 8 to 12 years, with a maximum recorded lifespan of around 18 years. In winter, northern populations have light gray coloring, while southern populations are grayish brown and ochraceous. Their belly is creamy, and they have a white caudal patch. In summer, their coloring is reddish. Young Siberian roe deer have spotted coats. Males are larger than females, and have three-tined antlers that are widely spaced and slant upward. These antlers are shed in autumn or early winter, and begin regrowing shortly after shedding. Siberian roe deer are currently found across the temperate zone of Eastern Europe, Central Asia, and East Asia. Fossil records show their historical range once extended to the northern Caucasus Mountains and eastern Ukraine. In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, overhunting reduced their range across Eastern Europe, northern Kazakhstan, western Siberia, and the northern regions of eastern Siberia. The division of their original range led to the formation of two morphologically distinct subspecies: the Tian Shan roe deer and the Siberian roe deer. Siberian roe deer and European roe deer meet at the Caucasus Mountains, with Siberian roe deer occupying the northern flank of the range, and European roe deer occupying the southern flank, Asia Minor, and parts of northwestern Iran. Siberian roe deer have a light, slender build that is adapted for moving through tall, dense grass. They inhabit forest and steppe habitats, and reach high population densities in tall-grass meadows and floodplains. They are well adapted to handle severe weather extremes. A population of escaped individuals from Woburn may have become temporarily naturalized in England in the early 20th century, but this population was extirpated by 1945.
