Deer (singular and plural) are ruminant mammals that make up the family Cervidae. The two main groups are the subfamily Cervidae, which includes muntjacs, dormant deer, and muntjacs, and the subfamily Caprinee, which includes elk, reindeer (reindeer), western roe deer, and Eurasian elk (moose). . Female reindeer and male deer of all species (except Chinese sambar ) grow new antlers every year. In this regard, they differ from the long-horned antelope, which also belongs to the order Artiodactyla.
The musk deer of Asia and the musk deer of tropical African and Asian forests are generally not considered true deer, and form their own families: Muscovitae and Muskidae, respectively.
Deer have appeared in art since the Paleolithic cave paintings, and they have played a role in mythology, religion, literature, and heraldry throughout history. Their economic importance includes their meat being used as venison, their hides being used as soft and strong deer hides, and their antlers being used as knife handles. Deer hunting has been a popular sport since at least the Middle Ages and remains an important commercial activity today.
