Mammal family comprising the true deer. There are about 41 living species and many extinct species are known from their fossilized remains.

Cervids are all ruminants and are characterized by the presence of antlers in all males, except those of the musk deer and Chinese water deer, and in the female reindeer. The antlers are shed annually, after the rut (mating season). Representatives of the family occur wild in every continent except Australasia and Antarctica; they have been introduced into Australia and New Zealand.

Classification
Cervidae is in the order Artiodactyla (cloven-hoofed animals).