Authorities in Richmond Park, West London, are seeking witnesses after several visitors were filmed trying to remove antlers from deer, an act deemed distressing for the animals and a criminal offense.
Visitors to Richmond Park in West London have been filmed attempting to detach antlers from deer, an action that has prompted concern from the Royal Parks Police. These incidents reportedly involve individuals approaching and bothering the deer within the park, which houses around 600 red and fallow deer. The police are now calling on witnesses to provide information by contacting 101, describing these actions as distressing for the animals and highlighting that such interference is a criminal offense.
Richmond Park’s officials have long advised visitors to maintain a distance of 50 meters from the deer and even further—100 meters—from active male deer, particularly during sensitive periods such as mating seasons. Interference with deer has previously resulted in fines, pointing to severe consequences for such behavior.
The park is known for its free-roaming deer populations and attracts around 5 million visitors annually. Male deer naturally shed their antlers annually, regrowing them with a protective velvet layer that gets rubbed off before the rutting season in September. During this time, deer can behave more aggressively, which poses increased risks to human safety. Past incidents in the park include a woman being gored by a rutting stag in 2017 and another case of a stag ramming its antlers into a car in 2019.
Authorities continue to stress the importance of keeping a safe distance from the wildlife to prevent dangerous encounters and ensure the wellbeing of both the animals and park visitors.
