Maral

Class: Mammals
Order: Artiodactyla
Family: Cervidae
Weight: 130-209 kg
Height: 127-148 cm
Body length: 170-210 cm
Color: In winter, males have a grayish-brownish-yellowish coloration, with darker necks, shoulders, and belly. Females are grayish-brown. The summer coat of both sexes is brownish-brown.
Age of sexual maturity: Males: 5-6 years, Females: 2-3 years
Gestation period: 240-265 days
Lifespan: 12-14 years
Habitat: Marals are found throughout Europe from the Iberian Peninsula in the west to the Altai Mountains in the east. There are large populations in Central Asia, northern Iran, the Caucasus, and North Africa. As an invasive species, they inhabit North and South America, Australia, and New Zealand, gradually displacing native species.
Diet: Herbivorous

Did you know?

• During the rutting season, male marals become agitated: they hardly graze, often visit watering holes, and enjoy wallowing in mud. Interestingly, the stronger the male, the hoarser his voice.
• Marals are listed in the Red Book of certain regions of Russia.
• The image of the maral adorns the coat of arms of the Ust-Koksinsky District of the Altai Republic.
• To obtain necessary salts and minerals, deer may chew on soil and lick salt licks.