The deer of Rhodes (Dama Dama)

Information

The fallow deer of Rhodes, known locally as ‘platoni’, is the symbol of the island. The statues of a buck and doe that grace the port of Rhodes are testimony to the long, deep relationship between Rhodians and deer.
This is a medium-sized deer that is exceptionally impressive: bucks have broad antlers, while the entire population has a charming, marked coat with white mottles during the summer. The fallow deer is an herbivore and feeds on leaves, shoots and fruit found by grazing in croplands and bushy or forested areas. This animal lives in the forest and bushy areas.
The fallow deer of Rhodes is the only wild population of fallow deer in Greece and has been protected under Greek legislation since 1969. However, the importance of the fallow deer of Rhodes is international: genetic studies have shown that it differs from other fallow deer in the rest of Europe: thus, the International Union for the Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (IUCN) has recognised the effort to protect the species as imperative. The research team of the environmental organisation ‘Aithria’ (www.aithria.org) has conducted extensive research and environmental awareness-raising actions for the fallow deer of Rhodes.