The Corsican red deer (Cervus elaphus corsicanus) is a distinct subspecies found exclusively on the Mediterranean islands of Corsica, France, and Sardinia, Italy. This animal arrived on these Tyrrhenian islands during the Holocene period (2500–3000 BC), introduced by humans from mainland Italy. It replaced the now extinct endemic deer Praemegaceros cazioti, which lived on the islands for over 450,000 years. Today, the Corsican red deer symbolizes the natural heritage and biodiversity of these islands.
Distinctive Features
The Corsican red deer has several physical characteristics that set it apart. It is smaller in stature, with males standing 86 to 110 cm (34 to 43 inches) at the shoulder and weighing between 100 to 110 kg (220 to 240 lb), while females are 80 to 90 cm (31 to 35 inches) tall and weigh around 80 kg (180 lb). Their legs are shorter, possibly an adaptation for navigating mountainous terrain.
Antlers of Corsican red deer stags are less developed and simpler than mainland red deer, measuring less than 80 cm (31 inches). They feature a more simplified structure, with three tines, and lack the complex “crown” or “cup” seen in larger European red deer. Their coat is predominantly brownish. Its genetic distinctiveness stems from long-term isolation on the islands.
Life in the Wild
Corsican red deer thrive in the diverse Mediterranean environments of Corsica and Sardinia. They inhabit dense Mediterranean forests, maquis shrubland, and mountainous terrains, adapting to available vegetation. These deer are opportunistic foragers, adjusting their diet based on seasonal availability. In warmer months, particularly at higher altitudes, their diet includes herbs, fruits, forbs, grasses, fungi, heaths, bramble, acorns, and beech mast. As autumn approaches and they move to lower elevations, their diet shifts to ferns, lichens, shrubs, and woody branches from various trees.
Corsican red deer form single-sex groups for most of the year. Hinds, or females, live with their calves, while stags, or males, are solitary or form small bachelor groups. The mating season, known as the rut, occurs from August to November, during which dominant stags compete for females, engaging in physical battles. Females give birth to a single calf between May and July, isolating themselves in dense vegetation for delivery.
Conservation Journey
The Corsican red deer faced severe population decline, leading to its extirpation from Corsica in the early 1970s. Factors contributing to this decline included habitat destruction (logging and forest fires), overhunting, and poaching. By the 1970s, the Sardinian population also dwindled to fewer than 250 individuals.
Reintroduction programs commenced to reverse this trend. In 1985, efforts began to re-establish the species on Corsica, using deer from Sardinian stock for captive breeding. The initial population of 13 Sardinian founders grew to 106 captive animals in three enclosures. Reintroductions into the wild on Corsica began in 1998 in areas like Quenza, Chisà, and Santo Pietro di Venaco.
By 2007, the Corsican population reached approximately 250 individuals, contributing to a combined total of over 1,000 across both islands. This recovery led to a reclassification of its conservation status to Near Threatened on the IUCN Red List. Despite these successes, ongoing threats persist, including poaching, habitat fragmentation, and competition with domestic livestock. Conservation measures involve establishing protected areas, implementing efficient poaching control systems, creating ecological corridors to facilitate deer movement, and raising public awareness about the species’ value.