Deer are among the most beloved wildlife species, but have you ever wondered about the lifespan of these majestic creatures? Did you know that the oldest deer on record was a female deer in Scotland that lived to be 31 years old?
In the wild, however, most deer face numerous challenges that significantly impact their life expectancy. From predation and hunting to disease and habitat quality, various factors play a role in determining how long these animals live.
Let’s find out just how long deer really live.
The Average Lifespan of Deer
The average lifespan of a wild deer is around 6 to 7 years. However, this number can vary depending on the species and their living conditions. For example, white-tailed deer in captivity have been known to live up to 16 years, while their wild counterparts typically only make it to around two years.(ref)
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Record-Breaking Lifespans
While the average lifespan of deer is relatively short, there have been some remarkable exceptions, particularly in captivity. According to Guinness World Records, the oldest deer ever recorded was a hand-reared Scottish red deer named “Bambi,” owned by the Fraser family from Kiltarlity in Beauly, Highland, UK.
Born on June 8, 1963, Bambi lived an astonishing 31 years and 226 days before passing away on January 20, 1995.(ref)
Factors Affecting Lifespan
Several key factors influence how long a deer will live:
- Species – Different deer species have varying average lifespans. Mule deer tend to live around 9-11 years, while white-tailed deer average 6-14 years.
- Sex – Male deer (bucks) generally have shorter lifespans than females (does). Bucks are more likely to fight during breeding season and be targeted by hunters.
- Habitat – Deer living in high-quality habitats with ample food, water, and cover will be healthier and more likely to survive to old age compared to those in marginal habitats.
- Population density – High deer densities lead to more competition for resources and greater risk of disease transmission, reducing average lifespan.
- Predators – Deer populations with more predators like wolves and mountain lions tend to have lower life expectancies, as predation is a major cause of death, especially for fawns.
- Hunting – Deer in areas with high hunting pressure have significantly lower average lifespans as human harvest adds to mortality rates.
Impact of Chronic Wasting Disease
In recent decades, chronic wasting disease (CWD) has become a serious threat to wild deer populations. This always fatal neurodegenerative disease is caused by misfolded proteins called prions. It has been spreading through cervid populations across North America and beyond.
Studies have shown that CWD can significantly reduce life expectancy for infected deer. One study of white-tailed deer found that CWD-positive deer were 4.5 times more likely to die annually than uninfected individuals.(ref)
Population growth rates decrease as more deer contract the disease. Modeling suggests CWD could drive populations to extinction at high prevalence rates without management intervention.
There is no treatment or cure for CWD. Therefore, wildlife managers are very concerned about its potential long-term impact on deer population dynamics and sustainability. Increasing surveillance, reducing deer densities, and targeted culling in outbreak areas are some of the main management strategies.
The lifespan of deer is highly variable and depends on numerous factors – both intrinsic and environmental. While captive deer have the potential to live over 20 years, the average wild deer has a much shorter life expectancy of under a decade.
Nancy has been a plant person from an early age. That interest blossomed into a bachelor’s in biology from Elmira College and a master’s degree in horticulture and communications from the University of Kentucky. Nancy worked in plant taxonomy at the University of Florida and the L. H. Bailey Hortorium at Cornell University, and wrote and edited gardening books at Rodale Press in Emmaus, PA. Her interests are plant identification, gardening, hiking, and reading.