The oldest deer on the earth called Bambi lived more than 31 years, from 1963 to 1995. As fascinating as it sounds, it is not the case for all the deer around the earth.
Deer have a short lifespan and also, the lifespan varies from species to species, type to type! In captivity, a deer lives longer, no doubt. But how old do deer live in the wild nature? That’s what we will tell you today!
Average Lifespan of Deer in the Wild
We often see a 2-year-old deer and at times, we can see the 5 years old one too. So, what’s the deal with this lifespan? Why is the
Deer tends to live 3 years to 4 years these days. The lifespan however in the past was longer. But now, it has decreased. Things are not as easy as it was before. Now, the fighting against the deer has increased. This includes the weather condition along with the disease that deer face.
In the case of weather, natural disasters are counted. Mostly, where there is bad weather, there is a chance of deer dying sooner than the other places. In the case of too cold weather, deer dies soon.
On the other hand, if it is too hot, the deer cannot live for more years. In this case, it’s necessary to keep in mind that the lifespan depends on the weather which refers to the geographic location.
The Species of Deer and the Lifespan
The lifespan of the deer is mentioned above. However, the lifespan highly depends on the species of the deer. Not all deer live the same amount of time. So, as we have mentioned the average age of the deer, you might ask how long the oldest deer lived.
Well, according to some reports, the oldest wild deer that lived on the earth lived till his late teens. But you cannot forget Bambi! Yes, this roe deer lived for more than 31 years! Here are the lives of deer according to some specific species are mentioned. Take a look!
White Tail Deer
In the case of the whitetail deer, the lifespan is about 2 years to 3 years. In some locations, it is less. However, this is the average lifespan.
The deer can live more or less according to other conditions that apply to their deaths. The highest of whitetail deer lives is around 20. Yes, the whitetail deer that lived for the longest time lasted 19 years.
Wild Mule Deer
If you talk about the wild mule deer, the oldest one lived on the earth for 20 years or more. The average lifespan of these deer is 9 years and at times, they live for about 10 years. But they can live more if the wildlife is more convenient for them.
Black Tail Deer
The case of the blacktail deer is a bit different. These are the deer that lived the longest period. According to sources and surveys, the blacktail deer lasted for 22 years.
Like a deer, the lifespan of the species compared to the other deer is longer than the other ones. Also, the average lifespan is high while dealing with the blacktail deer. They live more or less 7 years on average.
Elk Deer
The largest deer in the deer family is the Elk which is also popular as Wapiti. They live 10 years to 13 years and in cases more than this. In some situations, these deer are seen to live 16 years in the wild too.
However, this gave a tough competition to the Roe deer Bambi. According to sources, it might have lived 32 years but there’s no legit proof for this.
Wrap Up
So, we have described almost all the common deer types that you see! In the wild, it is not easy to live. And for innocent animals like deer, things are harder! But as long as they live, they deserve love! More than captivity, they enjoy the wilderness. No matter how long they live, they should live with freedom, don’t you agree?
