Herd of deer in the forest

The deer or the real deer are ruminant mammals with hoofs forming the family of the cervidae. The two main groups of deer are the Cervinae, including muntjac, elk (elk), red deer, fallow deer and chital; and Capreolinae, including reindeer (caribou), roe deer, mule deer and moose. Female reindeer and male deer of all species except the Chinese water deer grow and shed new antlers every year. In this, they differ from the permanent horned antelopes, which are part of a different family (Bovidae) in the same order of equal-toed ungulates (Artiodactyla).

The musk deer (Moschidae) of Asia and the deer (Tragulidae) of the tropical forests of Africa and Asia are distinct families within the ruminant clade (Ruminantia). They are not particularly closely related to deer among ruminants.