Dangers of ignoring 50m rule in Richmond Park

By The Editor 16th Nov 2020

Richmond Park custodians have condemned "in the strongest possible terms" a second weekend of visitors' behaviour that puts themselves and the wildlife at risk.

Photos taken using a long lens show an adult with three young children and a couple within touching distance of deer.

The consquences are seen when one of the deer charges at the man who recoils and attempts to dodge out of the way.

Royal Parks guidelines make clear that people should stay at least 50 metres away from the wild deer at all times.

Last week, an image taken by local photographer Martin Griffett (47 Photography) showed three people surrounding and stroking a deer in Richmond Park.

Responding, the Royal Parks said: "We advise against this behaviour in the strongest possible terms.

"These are wild animals who have just completed their mating season.

"Please keep your distance and do not touch, feed, or otherwise interact with these beautiful animals."

Visitors bring carrots

Deer "had nowhere to go" when crowds of up to 80 people surrounded them in Richmond Park.

The incident happened yesterday (Sunday, November 15) and was a repeat of the scenes in the park the previous weekend.

Then, crowds almost double the size "penned in" a nursery of fawns and left them trapped.

Royal Parks Police reported the latest interference with the park's wild deer in a tweet accompanied by a photo of carrots dumped inside the hollowed-out trunk of a tree.

The police said visitors "had come prepared with lots of treats".

"The had nowhere to go #Stay50mAway & give them space," the parks police tweeted.

"They also found that some people had come prepared with lots treats; feeding or touching them is an offence."

Food thrown at deer

The above and top two images were taken at the Roehampton end of the park and posted on social media by Charlotte Wilden.

Writing to the Royal Parks, she said: "My friend took these pics on a long zoom lens today.

"People feeding the deer from their hands, then throwing food at the deer when the deer decided they'd had enough.

"So horrible to endanger the children in this way."

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