A male red deer was killed in Richmond Park after it injured a man in his sixties who was having a picnic in the south‑west part of the park. The man was attending to a chest injury and was taken to hospital by emergency medical personnel. Medical assessment confirmed that the injuries were not life‑threatening and did not result in lasting disability.
According to park officials, the deer moved toward the group while searching for food and its behaviour was judged to pose a danger to the public. A wildlife officer fired the shot that euthanised the animal. The Royal Parks organisation explained that the stag may have become accustomed to being fed by visitors and that, because of its aggressive conduct, it had to be put down for public safety.
The RSPCA described the shooting as upsetting and said the incident underscores the need for visitors to keep a safe distance from deer. The charity reiterated its advice that people should stay at least 50 metres away from healthy wildlife, put away any food if an animal approaches, and retreat slowly and calmly.
Richmond Park is home to more than 630 red and fallow deer that roam freely over about 2,500 acres, a practice that dates back to 1637. The Royal Parks body manages the herds and reduces the population each year to maintain a sustainable size and avoid overcrowding. Warnings against feeding or touching the deer are regularly issued to the public.
Similar guidance is given in other jurisdictions. Park officials in Banff National Park in Canada advise visitors to keep a safe distance from elk and deer, while wildlife managers in United States urban parks such as Central Park intervene when deer become habituated to people, sometimes relocating or euthanising them. Both Canada and the United States carry out yearly wildlife population management programmes comparable to Richmond Park’s culling programme.
The RSPCA’s general guidance stresses that avoiding approach to larger species such as deer protects both people and animals. The Royal Parks organisation remains responsible for the care and management of the deer herds in Richmond Park and continues to stress that aggressive behaviour can lead to legal culling for public safety.