Dama

Dama is a genus of deer in the family Cervidae. The only extant species is Dama dama, known commonly as the European fallow deer. Some classifications also recognize a Mesopotamian population as a separate species, Dama mesopotamica, or treat it as a subspecies of Dama dama (Dama dama mesopotamica).

Fallow deer are medium-sized ungulates. Males (harts) have palmated antlers, while females (does) have smaller antlers and no palmation. Adults exhibit a range of coat colors, from light brown to gray, often with a white rump patch and white spots on younger animals.

Native to Europe and western Asia, fallow deer historically ranged across large woodland and grassland areas. They have since been introduced to many regions worldwide, including North America, Australia, and parts of Africa and New Zealand, often surviving in parks, farms, and feral populations. Habitats include woodlands, scrublands, and open forests with suitable browse.

Socially, they form herds that can be mixed-sex or separated by season. They are herbivorous, feeding on grasses, leaves, herbs, and fallen fruit. The mating season occurs in autumn in most areas; females give birth after a gestation of about 6.5 to 7 months, typically one or two fawns.

The species is listed as Least Concern by the IUCN due to wide distribution and large populations, though some native populations face threats from habitat loss and overhunting. In some regions, wild populations are sustained by conservation and management programs.

In other contexts, the term dama appears in languages as the word for queen in chess (la dama in Spanish). Dama is also used as a surname or given name in various cultures.