Park
wardens say deer populations could compromised as mating encounters are cut
short by over-enthusiastic amateur snappers
8:20AM
GMT 05 Nov 2015
The
annual, testosterone-fuelled display put on by competing deer during the rutting season is certainly something to behold.
But
park wardens have warned that the crowds of amateur photographs jostling to capture the perfect image of stags locking antlers
with male rivals before
mating could put the population at risk.
Adam
Curtis, the park's assistant manager, warned that the number of red and fallow
deer in the park could be compromised if people do not keep their distance.
"I
have seen 60 photographers circling a stag trying to mate," he told The Times.
"That
would even put me off."
He
expressed concern that stags may become too exhausted to mate because visitors
cause the females to scatter, meaning that they are forced to expend more
energy trying to entice them back.
"They
end up not being able to mate during the day, and have to do it at night
instead," Mr Curtis added.
"We
are not seeing a reduction of birth numbers yet, but it is especially stressful
for stags losing their harem when crowds scatter them, and being forced to run
around to get them all back into the fold."
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