The Royal Parks recruits 90 additional Volunteer Rangers to protect deer during birthing season
The Royal Parks charity is ramping up efforts to ensure the safety of both deer and park visitors, by almost doubling the number of Volunteer Rangers in Richmond and Bushy Parks from the start of deer birthing season.
The charity, which manages London’s eight Royal Parks, including Richmond Park and Bushy Park, has recruited 90 new Volunteer Rangers to complement the existing team of 118.
The role of Volunteer Rangers includes engaging the public and reminding them of the requirement to keep dogs on leads from 1 May to 31 July. This measure is aimed at safeguarding vulnerable newborn deer as well as ensuring visitor and dog safety.
In April 2024, a fallow deer was mauled and killed in a suspect dog attack, and on a separate occasion a whippet was seen chasing a herd of around 30 fallow deer. These incidents serve as stark reminders of the need to ensure that dogs are always kept under control in the parks, especially around wild deer.
During deer birthing season, approximately 300 deer will be born across Richmond Park and Bushy Park. Female deer, in an instinctual effort to protect their young, can act defensively and have been known to chase dogs during this sensitive time. During this period, the safest option is not to walk your dog in either Richmond or Bushy Parks.
Park Manager for Bushy Park, Phil Edwards says:
“Thanks to the dedication of our Volunteer Rangers and park staff, and the co-operation of park visitors, we have seen positive changes in deer behaviour, which have demonstrated reduced stress levels and more natural roaming patterns.
“However, we rely on the public's assistance, especially dog owners, to keep themselves safe, and to avoid tragic incidents such as the recent mauling and death of a young deer in Bushy Park.
“A second incident in which a whippet chased around 30 fallow deer caused huge stress to the herd. This could have resulted in deer charging at visitors and causing serious injuries or worse.”
Anne Scoggins, who has been a Volunteer Ranger at Bushy Park since August 2020, says:
“It is a privilege to be involved as a Ranger. I have met some wonderful people on my shifts, and I really enjoy the benefits of being outside.
“Our role is to educate, to be kind and to keep people and their dogs safe while protecting the wildlife. This time of year is especially tricky as the female deer are very protective of their newborn calves and fawns. We need to encourage people to keep their dogs on leads, to remind visitors to keep a safe distance of at least 50m away from deer, and refrain from seeking out or disturbing newborn deer.”
Owners who choose, at their own risk, to walk their dog in Richmond or Bushy Parks during this season, must keep their dogs on leads, should be on high alert for female deer, avoid areas of long grass and bracken where new-born deer could be concealed, and stick to the perimeter of the park in case they need to escape quickly.
Park Manager for Richmond Park, Paul Richards says:
“Although deer are instinctively frightened of dogs, they will overcome this fear if they believe their young are at risk. “This means female deer may chase and attack, even if the dog is at a distance, on a lead and not acting provocatively. This can be extremely frightening to witness, especially for the dog owner.”
To increase public awareness during deer birthing season, Volunteer Rangers will host an additional pop-up information point within Richmond Park on Sunday, 5 May, from 1pm onwards*, which follows on from several similar engagement events already held in Bushy Park and Richmond Park in 2024.
*Located on the Causeway between Pen Ponds, the pop-up will provide visitors with essential guidance and resources. Additionally, Volunteer Rangers will be available daily from 9am to 7pm throughout the week in both Richmond Park and Bushy Park to offer information and support to visitors.
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