Officials have issued a fresh warning to Londoners to avoid approaching or feeding wild deer in Richmond Park, following the circulation of social media videos showing children and adults getting too close to the animals.
The Royal Parks expressed shock at the "highly dangerous behaviour" captured in online clips, which showed a group of people standing in the middle of a deer herd and feeding them. The organisation stressed that people should not approach the deer in Richmond Park and Bushy Park.
Risk of serious injury
A Royal Parks spokesman said: "The deer are wild animals, not pets. They are large, powerful and unpredictable. A red stag can weigh up to 200kg. Getting this close and offering food, puts people at real risk of serious injury."
Visitors are advised to maintain a distance of at least 50 metres from the deer. Feeding them is "harmful to both people and animals", as the creatures will "approach and pester" visitors if they associate them with food.
Similar warning last month
This is not the first such warning. Last month, footage shared on social media showed adults and children crowding around and stroking deer in Richmond Park, prompting a similar alert. At that time, Richmond Park manager Paul Richards described the red and fallow deer as "wild, powerful animals" that can react quickly, urging visitors to keep their distance.
On Friday, park users were again urged never to feed or touch the deer. If a deer approaches, members of the public should put all food and packaging out of sight and move away slowly and calmly.
