Londoners visiting Royal Parks are being urged to stay away from rutting deer trying to attract a mate to avoid being seriously injured.
Between late September through to early November, stags are engaged in dramatic displays of power and aggression, including roaring and clashing antlers.
Despite providing a “spectacular display”, rutting stags can weigh above 25 stone and reach speeds of up to 30 miles per hour, making them dangerous if disturbed.
As they compete for mates amid the rutting season, the Royal Parks charity has issued a warning to walkers in Richmond Park and Bushy Park.
Together the south-west London parks are home to more than 1,000 free roaming red and fallow deer.
Visitors are being advised to keep dogs on leads and away from the herd, and are asked not intervene between rutting deer or crowd them, as doing so could make them nervous.
People should stay at least 100 metres away from rutting deer, the charity said, using binoculars to observe from afar while photographers have been asked to respect the 50-metre rule.
If approached by a deer, or if the animal appears threatening, they should back away slowly, as sudden movements may provoke the animal.
Paul Richards, Park Manager at Richmond Park, said: "While the rutting season provides a spectacular natural display, it is crucial that visitors behave in a safe way.
“Deer can quickly shift from calm to aggressive, so it’s essential to keep a safe distance and use binoculars for a closer view.
“I would like to thank visitors for their cooperation and encourage them to follow our guidelines.”
In October 2017, Yuan Li was stabbed through the thigh and her stomach as she was mauled by a rutting stag in front of horrified tourists at Richmond Park.
In 2018, a young girl who was being photographed next to a rutting stag was injured in Bushy Park.
All incidents “almost exclusively happen when people get closer than the recommended 50 metres”, Royal Parks previously warned.
