Artwork © Frontier Developments
Red Deer
Cervus elaphus · Europe, Asia, Africa
Requirements at a glance
- Scientific name
- Cervus elaphus
- Status
- Least Concern
- Biomes
- Temperate
- Temperature
- -5–28 °C
- Land area
- 360 m²
- Shelter
- 10 m²
- Barrier
- Grade 2 · 1.25 m
- Group size
- 3–9 (10♂ / 15♀)
- Temperament
- Neutral
- Food / period
- $173
Building the habitat
The land area is a hard floor: 360 m² for the enclosure itself, plus 10 m² of shelter on top. Barrier grade 2 at 1.25 m contains the animal without overspending on fencing you do not need.
Keep the habitat inside -5–28 °C. Temperature is one of the most common reasons a habitat quietly loses welfare, because it never triggers the alarm that hunger does.
Group limits matter more than most players expect: mixed groups run 3–9, capped at 10 male and 15 female. Exceeding the male cap is what causes fights — not total headcount.
Habitat temperature
Terrain mix
Land area vs. the roster
Species it can share a habitat with
The Zoopedia lists 6 neutral companions. Neutral means no welfare penalty, but no shared enrichment bonus either — build to the largest space requirement of the group.
HabitatEuropean Bison
HabitatWild Boar
HabitatCape Buffalo
HabitatBactrian Camel
HabitatGreater Flamingo
HabitatPrzewalski's Horse
Budgeting this habitat
Food runs about $173 per period. See how that compares across the roster in our food cost ranking, or start from the best starter animals if this is a first zoo.
Similar species
HabitatGolden Eagle
White Tailed Sea Eagle
HabitatWild Boar
HabitatEurasian Beaver
Biome: Temperate
Figures from the official Planet Zoo 2 Zoopedia, checked 2026-10-21; patches can change them — trust your in-game build menu if they differ. Official entry. Artwork © Frontier Developments; used here for identification.