Richmond Park stag killed after injuring man during picnic

A stag in London’s Richmond Park was shot and killed by a Royal Parks wildlife officer after it injured a man in his 60s. The incident occurred near the Roehampton Gate Cafe when the animal approached a group looking for food from a picnic.

The man sustained chest injuries but was treated at a hospital; authorities stated his wounds were neither life-threatening nor life-changing. Royal Parks officials suggested the stag may have learned to associate humans with food due to visitors feeding wildlife.

Royal Parks expressed alarm over reports of visitors feeding deer in both Richmond and Bushy Parks, noting that such behavior causes animals to lose their natural wariness. The organization advises the public to maintain a distance of at least 50 meters from deer and to never approach, touch, or feed them.