Red deer breeding early

Scotland’s red deer are breeding earlier each year, according to scientists studying the impact of climate change on the species.

This is thought to be the result of improved grazing, thanks to the longer growing season in spring and summer.

The red deer population of the Isle of Rum has been studied since 1953 in one of the longest running research projects of its kind. Professor Josephine Pemberton of Edinburgh University said: “We’ve found that several timing events have got a lot earlier, for example the calving dates have come forward by about 12 days. The rutting dates come forward too, which is consistent with that, but also the antler casting and cleaning dates.”