Our current knowledge about the biotransformation enzymes in wild ruminants is limited. The present study aimed to compare basic levels and specific activities of cytochrome P450 isoforms (CYP1A, 2A, 2B, 2C, 2D, 2E, 3A, 4A) in males of red deer ( Cervus elaphus), fallow deer ( Dama dama), roe deer ( Capreolus capreolus) and mouflon ( Ovis musimon). The proteins from the major cytochrome P450 (CYP) subfamilies were detected in all ruminant species by Western blotting, using polyclonal antibodies raised against rat or human CYP enzymes. The immunochemical data seem to suggest that humans and wild ruminants share some similar hepatic CYP enzymes corresponding to members of subfamilies 2 and 3; ruminant liver samples also contained two proteins cross-reacting with anti-rat CYP1A antibodies. High activities of CYP1A enzymes found in liver microsomes of male fallow deer and roe deer are indicative of increased susceptibility of these species towards promutagens that are metabolically activated by these CYPs. On the other hand, low activities of CYP1A-dependent alkoxyresorufin O-dealkylase activities were detected in male mouflons. Oxidative metabolism of testosterone was significantly higher in wild ruminants than the values previously reported from bulls. Androstene-3,17-dione and 6beta-hydroxytestosterone were the most important products of testosterone oxidation in liver microsomes of all the ruminant species under study. The highest CYP3A-dependent testosterone 6beta-hydroxylase activity was found in mouflons and fallow deer. A different pattern of CYP activities towards testosterone was found in roe deer, which showed high activities of testosterone 2beta-hydroxylase and lower production of androstene-3,17-dione. An increased activity of CYP4A-dependent laurate 12-hydroxylase found in roe deer and mouflons might indicate a higher metabolic turnover of fatty acids. The data on CYP activities indicated that high metabolic rates of steroids, fatty acids, and xenobiotics may occur in male wild ruminants. The highest hepatic activities specific for CYP3A, CYP2C, CYP2D, and CYP2E enzymes were found in mouflon, suggesting that this species has the highest biotransformation capacity.