The Enchanting Deer of Richmond Park
The deer in Richmond Park are vital for the protection of the land.
The unobstructed views we currently appreciate in Richmond Park are owed to the essential role played by deer. Their grazing activity is crucial in inhibiting the growth of tree seedlings, ensuring the maintenance of an open grassland landscape. Without the presence of deer, the scenic panoramas of Richmond Park as we know them today would be vastly different. The park, in turn, provides a plentiful supply of natural food for the deer, with their diet encompassing a variety of offerings, including grasses, leaves, tree shoots, acorns, sweet chestnuts, and horse chestnuts.
‘Richmond Park’s acid grassland is a nationally important habitat which depends on grazing for its continued survival,’ according to one Royal Parks spokesperson. After contacting the spokesperson, I learned that in contrast to mowing, grazing fosters increased structural diversity and plant variety, while preserving the integrity of over 400,000 anthills scattered throughout Richmond Park. Grazing proves to be a more ecologically sensitive approach, promoting a diverse and sustainable habitat compared to traditional mowing practices.
But unfortunately, there are cases of humans meddling with the serenity. While many visitors appreciate observing the deer from a distance, regrettably, some individuals disregard the advice of the park to maintain a minimum distance of 50 meters from the deer. This recommended distance is not only for the well-being of the deer but also ensures the safety of visitors.
Moreover, Richmond Park has observed instances of visitors attempting to feed deer, despite it being illegal, as well as bringing potential danger to both the deer and humans. Actions like these encourage the wild animals to approach humans in the future in search of food, once again posing a danger.
But the park works hard to try and stamp out such actions. ‘To help educate the public on appropriate behavior around deer we have signs in the park and information on our website and on social media’, according to the Royal Parks spokesperson. Richmond Park also enlists the support of a group of Volunteer Rangers who play a key role in offering guidance and education to park visitors.
The deer in Richmond Park are not only beautiful, majestic creatures, but they are also crucial to sustaining the quality of the landscape, upholding the attraction that many visitors feel to the park. Unfortunately, though, there are those who, either through honest misunderstanding, or blatant breach of rules, threaten the deer through their actions. The park works hard to limit this as far as possible and we should all, where possible, remind others to respect the wildlife in our London parks and respect nature to a far greater extent than we already do.
