Richmond Park Visitors Warned to 'Steer Clear of Deer'
Autumn rutting season begins making herds potentially dangerous
A stag in Richmond Park during rutting season. Picture: The Royal Parks
September 18, 2026
The Royal Parks, in partnership with the RSPCA and the British Deer Society, has launched a vital safety campaign urging visitors to Richmond Park and Bushy Park to keep a safe distance from deer during the autumn rutting season.
Running from September through November, the annual rut sees stags competing for mates. Surge levels of testosterone during this period make the animals highly unpredictable, less tolerant, and potentially aggressive. Weighing up to 150kg and capable of running at speeds of 40mph, rutting stags pose a serious physical danger to anyone who ventures too close.
The joint campaign follows a grave incident in Richmond Park in August, where a stag attacked a man after approaching his picnic. Having learned to associate humans with food, the animal posed a continuous threat to the public and had to be put down. Officials emphasize that feeding deer is strictly prohibited; human food damages their complex digestive systems and can cause fatal illness, while also stripping away their natural fear of people.
To protect both the public and wildlife, visitors to Richmond Park and Bushy Park are advised to follow strict precautions:
- Maintain Distance: Stay at least 50 meters away from all deer at all times, and never position yourself between rutting animals.
- No Feeding or Touching: Do not offer food or attempt close-up photography or physical contact.
- Manage Pets: Keep dogs on leads and at least 50 meters away, or walk them outside the parks entirely during the rutting season to avoid provoking stags.
- React Calmly: If a deer approaches, move away slowly and use large obstacles like trees as protective barriers if an animal acts aggressively.
- Respect Space: Do not block a deer's path or attempt to push past them.
Paul Richards, Richmond Park Manager, cautioned that staying close to stressed deer carries a real risk of severe injury or death, emphasizing that the safest way to enjoy the spectacle is strictly from a distance. Representatives from the RSPCA and the British Deer Society reinforced that approaching rutting deer disrupts crucial natural behaviours vital to their reproductive cycle.
For those wanting to learn more about deer behaviour and park safety, experts from the British Deer Society and Volunteer Rangers will host an information stand near the Pen Ponds causeway in Richmond Park on 11 October 2026, from 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM. Further safety guidelines are available at www.royalparks.org.uk.
Like Reading Articles Like This? Help Us Produce More This site remains committed to providing local community news and public interest journalism. Articles such as the one above are integral to what we do. We aim to feature as much as possible on local societies, charities based in the area, fundraising efforts by residents, community-based initiatives and even helping people find missing pets. We've always done that and won't be changing, in fact we'd like to do more. However, the readership that these stories generates is often below that needed to cover the cost of producing them. Our financial resources are limited and the local media environment is intensely competitive so there is a constraint on what we can do. We are therefore asking our readers to consider offering financial support to these efforts. Any money given will help support community and public interest news and the expansion of our coverage in this area. A suggested monthly payment is £8 but we would be grateful for any amount for instance if you think this site offers the equivalent value of a subscription to a daily printed newspaper you may wish to consider £20 per month. If neither of these amounts is suitable for you then contact info@neighbournet.com and we can set up an alternative. All payments are made through a secure web site. One-off donations are also appreciated. Choose The Amount You Wish To Contribute. If you do support us in this way we'd be interested to hear what kind of articles you would like to see more of on the site – send your suggestions to the editor. For businesses we offer the chance to be a corporate sponsor of community content on the site. For £30 plus VAT per month you will be the designated sponsor of at least one article a month with your logo appearing if supplied. If there is a specific community group or initiative you'd like to support we can make sure your sponsorship is featured on related content for a one off payment of £50 plus VAT. All payments are made through a secure web site. |