Roe deer mothers reveal their little secret in February

The Animal of the Year 2019 is pregnant. It will be another four months before the offspring of the «Roe Deer Family» are born. «Roe deer mothers carry a little secret through the winter – they are only a little bit pregnant«, says Eva Goris. «Because although fertilisation and implantation of the egg in the uterus had already taken place the previous summer, nothing happened in terms of growth and development! The phenomenon known as embryonic diapause is a trick of nature to protect the offspring from the cold, food-scarce season.» It is not until December – some five months after mating – that the diapause ends and the offspring suddenly begins to grow in the uterus again.

«I call that perfect timing«, says Goris, «when the fawns are born 9½ months later, spring has finally arrived.» The sun warms their coat; fresh buds and shoots are sprouting everywhere and nature offers food in abundance – a perfect nursery for roe deer.If the young were born in winter, it would be cold and barren. Nature has nothing to offer but bark, withered grasses and old twigs. In spring, on the other hand, conditions are ideal.

«Anyone out for a walk in the forest now should bear in mind that expectant roe deer mothers also need peace and quiet«, says Goris. «As with any pregnancy, hormonal changes in the body consume energy. Pregnant roe deer are frequently startled by dogs. Fleeing uses up strength that these animals urgently need. Please avoid disturbances and always keep dogs on a lead.«

Would you like to witness the birth of a roe deer fawn? Then go to the cinema! Wildlife filmmaker Jan Haft has succeeded in capturing rare footage of a fawn being born. His new film «The Meadow – A Paradise Next Door» is coming to cinemas in spring. It was commissioned by the Deutsche Wildtier Stiftung to raise awareness of the problems faced by meadow-dwelling animals such as roe deer in the modern agricultural landscape.