The Red Deer (Cervus elaphus) is one of the largest deer species and are widely distributed throughout New Zealand. In New Zealand, the red deer were introduced by acclimatisation societies along with other deer and game species. They originate from some of the most prestigious game parks in the United Kingdom. The characteristics of these herds in New Zealand were preserved for many years by geographical isolation. The bulk of the venison comes from red deers which are grown as free range animals. ​