Spanish red deer are considerably smaller than their Central European counterparts, and within the Peninsula , moving southwards, Andalusian deer are smaller than Cantabrian deer (male average at 140 kg in the Cordillera Cantábrica and just 80 in Doñana). They inhabit diverse habitats from the cool woods and heathlands of the Cantabrian mountains, pine plantations (Montes Universales, Sierra de la Culebra), the sparse dehesa woodland (Montfragüe, El Pardo) and Mediterranean forests, and are expanding everywhere across their range. The red deer once occupied the whole of the Peninsula , but by the end of the 19th century hunting had reduced its distribution to the Sierra Morena, Montes de Toledo, Sierra de San Pedro and Las Villuercas. Consequent reintroductions by game estates have hugely re-extended their range. On occasions, these reintroductions, in an attempt to maximise profits of this prized piece, have led to incredibly dense deer populations and consequently severe degradation of forests such as in Saja in Cantabría. Wolves are its principal predator in Zamora , Somiedo and Riaño. Not threatened. See more wildlife in Spain

deer : ciervo; red deer : ciervo rojo : cèrvol (Cat); cervo (Gal); orein (Eus.) (Cervus elaphus)

Note: fallow deer (gamo común; daina (Cat) (Dama dama)) were almost certainly introduced by either the Phonecians or the Romans.

See also wildlife in Spain - Wolf watching in the Sierra de la Culebra - Spanish Bear News - Iberian Lynx News - Iberian Lynx - Badgers in Spain - Wolves in Spain -Wolves, boars and capercaillie - Deer in Spain - Barbary apes in Gibraltar - European and American mink - Coypu in Spain - Pyrenean mountain goat - English-Spanish-Latin mammal checklist for Spain - Comparative table of Castilian and Catalan dictionaries on zoology -- Bats in Spain - Chamois in Spain - European and American mink - Acorns and rats in Castile Mammals in Spain -Wild Cats in Spain