There are many popular stories that are related to the growth and presence of the deer on the island. Many claim that the platoni deer came to the island of Rhodes with the arrival of the Crusaders. This theory has been correlated with other historical characteristics of the island. Rhodes is referred to in ancient texts as "Ofiusa" which means "having a lot of snakes". According to this theory the Crusaders, in order to protect their camps from snakes, brougth the deer to be used as guards. Even though the deer did not hunt to kill snakes, as many believe, it is said that the antlers of the deer secrete an essence (an alkaline), a smell that annoys and forces snakes to stay away. So, some of these animals which the Crusaders brought, escaped from the camps, hid in the forests and later created the existing population.
    Another theory says that the deer were brought by the Venetians in the time they occupied the island.
    However, Rhodes is also referred to in ancient texts as "Elafousa" meaning that in those days it had many deers, which naturally existed on the island before all these conquerors.
    Archaeological findings that indicate the existence of the deer in the East Aegean, are dated back to the 6th millenium BC.

    The two variants of the small Dama deer (often considered two differing species by several writers) that have been preserved until now, are found in the East Aegean (Rhodes) and on the West Coast of Asia Minor (Thermessos National Park, Antalia). The Dama dama and the Dama Mesopotamica in Iran, reinforce the treory that the deer detached itself and remained on the island of Rhodes when the Mediterranean flooded the area of the Aegean and created the islands.It also must be noted that the two species represents elements of fauna that are characterised by the semitropical distribution at the end of the quaternary period.
    Until today is well-known by palaeontological and archaeological indications that these deer were restricted in the area of Eastern Mediterranean and the Middle East, at the end of the Pleistocene and at the beginning of the Holocene period.

    As far as classification, characteristics and habits the platoni is a ruminant mammal of the deer family. It is a medium size deer.Its length is approximately 1,5 meters and its height, until the upper part of its back, reaches about 90 centimetres.It weighs approximately 100 kilos although it is written that some mature bucks reach 150 kilos.
    It is a very beautiful animal. Its beauty is mainly due to its perfectly proportional body and exquisite colors. Furthermore, bucks are adorned with perfectly symmetrical and gorgeous antlers.It is very difficult to describe the exact coloring of the coat, since it appears multi-colored and varies, an it depends on the age of the animal and season of the year. During the summer, the mature buck's fur is a reddish brown, while his stomach and inside of his legs is a creamy white. The hairs on his backbone are very light at the roots, they turn brown and are nearly black at the end. In winter and especially in the middle of it, the animal's backbone, neck and ears become dark gray to gray brown (rather than reddish brown). His stomach and the inner part of his legs also become a reddish gray.

    The characteristic large white patches, which are scattered mainly on their upper body, back and hind, are chiefly used for camouflage.
    The deer have rather long and slim legs, a small head, a protruding larynx and a large neck.
    The male deer are distinguished by their large functional penis and a prominent cluster of hair, which covers their genitals.
    The antlers that only appear on the bunk are round at the base, they open and broaden and end producing characteristic tips. They grow   perpendicular to the base, straighten upwards and end pointing backwards. They are characteristic and differ from antler of other deer, as they are palmate. They are nearly always different, according to the age of the animal, as far as their features and symmetry. The antlers of the platoni fall out every May and grow again slowly until they are fully grown by September. For every year of the deer a new tip is added to the ample branch. 
    Mature bucks often live alone or in-groups, at the most of three or four. As they grow up they like to be alone. The young bucks, the doe and newborn live all together in herds. In October the mature bucks appear in the herd chasing the young bucks away, which do not keep their distance but roam around the herd of doe. The excitement of the males, which follows this period, that is the season of love, is tremendous. They often fight between themselves for hours, for the victory over the females while the young bucks take advantage of their activity.

    During this period the bucks are careless and are sometimes exposed to, fortunately few unconscious poachers. The doe's pregnancy lasts for eight months and around the month of July they give birth to one or two deer.

    In Rhodes the platoni deer live in pure trachea pine forests, mixed pine and cypress forest with evergreen broadleaf bushes, in places which have water all year round or where there are watering places for sheep. They also live and feed in evergreen broadleaf shrubbery (arbutus, holly, carob etc.).
    It is calculated by residents and personal estimations that today there are approximately 100-150 animals.There is also an important number of animals (about 70 individuals) which are being preserved by the Municipality of Rhodes in enclosed areas. Individual deer have been transported from Rhodes to other parts of Greece where they live inside zoos and parks.
    Unfortunately, for many years now there is a decrease in the number of deer, which is mainly due to the poachers and the poor mentality of the residents of the island, not to give information to the competent services (Foresters, Police), for the detection and restriction of the poachers, considering the cooperation like

betrayal or otherwise called "snitching". Although, the residents of Rhodes love and look after the deer they can not help as much as they should towards the capture and the exemplary punishment of poachers, who without realizing destroy and eliminate the symbols of our place.

    On the other hand, the means and staff numbers that the local forestry possesses do not seem to be enough for the effective confronting of the phenomenon.
    There was a decrease in number many deer were burnt in two large fires in Rhodes in 1987 and 1992. Although important, this can not be regarded as the main reason for the decreasing population, since in reality, due to an increase of nutrition after the first year of the fire, the birth rate increased.
    Another important reason for the decreasing number of deer is the equivalent decrease of cultivated land that mainly results due to the occupation of the local people with tourist jobs. We should not ignore the use of many and strong farming chemicals for cultivation that poison the animal's food and water sources.
    On the map which follows the biotope of the deer appears but it has to be noted that there are deer in other areas and that the deer from specified areas can roam according to the factors that influence their survival, such as the quality of food, the water supply but mainly the pressure they receive from the presence and the legal or illegal activities of man.