We continue introducing you to the wonderful residents of our zoo. Today’s story is about our European fallow deer (Dama dama) or, more precisely, their long-awaited fawns: a playful little male born on 23 June 2026, and a very special little female, born a few days later on 28 June.
What makes the little female so special? She was born with a rare dark coat, known as a melanistic colour morph. Such animals are uncommon in the wild, although they occur more frequently in managed populations, wildlife parks, and zoological collections.
Their father, the handsome Vasyliok, was born at Kharkiv Zoo on 15 June 2012 and arrived in Mykolaiv when he was just one year old. Now 14 years old, he remains remarkably gentle and peaceful. After his arrival, he quickly settled into the herd and formed strong bonds with the females.
The mothers of the fawns – Zosia (the male’s mother, born on 15 June 2021) and Zoriana (the dark-coated female's mother, born on 5 July 2020) – provide a wonderful example of shared maternal care. Living together in the same enclosure, they raise their young as one family. If a fawn approaches the "wrong" mother for milk, neither female refuses. In the world of deer, there are no strangers' children – every youngster is cared for as part of one close-knit family.
The little ones are growing quickly and have already started eating solid food. As befits a young gentleman, the male is the more adventurous of the two, while the female is a little more cautious. However, when their mothers head over for feeding, the fawns instinctively follow the rules of the wild: they lie perfectly still, hidden in small hollows, each with its own favourite safe spot. Of course, they can never stay there for very long – their youthful energy soon takes over, and they love chasing one another around the enclosure in playful games.
So, the next time your steps bring you to Mykolaiv Zoo, be sure to stop by the deer enclosure. Spend a quiet moment watching these trusting little faces and let this small miracle touch your heart. It is moments like these that remind us how beautiful and heartwarming the natural world can be – if we simply take the time to notice it.
