Visitors to two major London parks have been warned to steer clear of deer during the rutting season. Families have been told to stay safe in Richmond and Bushy parks, two of the capital’s best-loved green spaces, as stags look to compete for doe mates.
While an impressive spectacle, Royal Parks, which manages the two reserves, say the males can be ‘aggressive’ due to heightened levels of testosterone. Rutting season typically runs from September to early November, and can see stags weighing up to 150kg run at speeds of around 40mph.
Man attacked by stag in August
The safety campaign comes after a man was attacked by a stag which approached his picnic in August. Park owners were left with no choice but to cull the animal after it came to associate humans with food, putting visitors at risk.
Visitors have been reminded not to feed deer at any time in the parks, with the mammals able to find all the food they need naturally.
Experts urge distance and caution
Kate Allberry, a scientific and policy manager at the RSPCA, said that feeding or approaching deer can actually cause them to become stressed. ‘This can put both deer and people at greater risk, and in some cases, can have tragic consequences for animals’, she said.
Paul Richards, the manager of Richmond Park, said: ‘We want everyone to enjoy the spectacle and privilege of seeing the deer during the rut. But they are wild animals and can become aggressive and unpredictable during this season. It is critical that people keep at least 50m away from deer to avoid spooking them. There is a very real risk that if the deer become stressed, someone too close by could get seriously hurt or even killed.
‘The safest way to enjoy deer is always to observe them from a distance, keep dogs on leads or walk them elsewhere during the rut and never feed them. The message is clear: stay safe during the rut; “steer clear of deer”.’
Disruption to natural behaviour
Charles Smith-Jones, a technical adviser to the British Deer Society, said: ‘Getting too close to rutting animals may not only put people at risk but can also disrupt or even halt natural behaviour at a time that is crucial to the deer’s reproductive cycle and well-being.
‘We would always encourage people to enjoy these remarkable animals from a distance and give them the space they need to behave naturally.’
