Photo credit: Stephen Darlington
The Royal Parks is urging visitors to Richmond Park to be extra vigilant and keep a minimum distance of 50 metres away during the annual deer rut. This advice follows the publication of a video, taken by a member of the public, that shows photographers, many with long lenses, dangerously close to stags in Bushy Park. In the footage one resting stag with sharp antlers, is so disturbed by the photographers’ proximity, that it suddenly stands up and moves away.
During the rut, The Royal Parks is urging people to take responsibility for their own safety by:
- Keeping a minimum distance of 50 metres away. The more space the better, especially during rutting season. If visitors want a better view, they should bring binoculars
- Keeping dogs on leads or walking them elsewhere
- Abiding by the British Deer Society’s Code of Conduct.
- Never getting in between two rutting deer
More information, including the video, can be found here.