Is it safe to approach the Phoenix Park deer? For both them and me

Dont_Cry For_Me Argentina!

A while back I was walking through with my OH, I had some apples and one of the deer came extremely close and eventually took the apple from my hand, I touched him / her and they flinched at first but let me continue.

Was I foolish to get so close? Would they attack or are they used to people?

I don't want them growing too trusting of people in case they get hurt.

iamwhoiam

https://www.google.ie/amp/s/www.rte.ie/amp/821661/

The park rangers ask the public not to feed the deer in the Phoenix Park. It's prohibited to feed them


http://phoenixpark.ie/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/Wild-Deer-Roam-Freely-In-The-Park.jpg

Dont_Cry For_Me Argentina!

iamwhoiam wrote: »

https://www.google.ie/amp/s/www.rte.ie/amp/821661/

The park rangers ask the public not to feed the deer in the Phoenix Park

OK, I'll keep that in mind. I just love animals and nature.

Am I putting either of us in danger by offering fruit by hand?

moonshadow

Yes.

iamwhoiam

Dont_Cry For_Me Argentina! wrote: »

OK, I'll keep that in mind. I just love animals and nature.

Am I putting either of us in danger by offering fruit by hand?

Yes you are .

Dont_Cry For_Me Argentina!

moonshadow wrote: »

Yes.

iamwhoiam wrote: »

Yes you are .

Would they attack me?
Someone in work had a coronary, told me I could have been seriously injured.

iamwhoiam

Dont_Cry For_Me Argentina! wrote: »

Would they attack me?
Someone in work had a coronary, told me I could have been seriously injured.

I am not a park ranger . I trust the rangers to know that the deer should not be approached . There are signs up not to feed them and warnings online

iLikeWaffles

Well they're wild animals so... Yes it would be dangerous.

The likelihood of them being startled and running off causing their predator alert instincts to kick in would be unpredictable: probably why the park rangers ask the public not to feed or get too close. As its a public park others may be injured from them being out of control. There is just no way to tell if Children might be in their path also so best to steer clear or view from a distance.

uck51js9zml2yt

Have to admit I've fed them.

I do know that those antlers can do a lot of unintentional damage. You really don't appreciate how big they are until you're inches from them.

If approaching them, it's a case of very slow, careful movements but best not to.

They do like apples and carrots:)

Females are a safer option.

Dont_Cry For_Me Argentina!

Julianna Crooked Backstroke wrote: »

Females are a safer option.

How can you tell?
Do the males have very obvious dangly bits :P

Victor

Dont_Cry For_Me Argentina! wrote: »

Would they attack or are they used to people?

They are still wild animals. If they approach you fair enough, but give them space.

Keep well away during rutting and birthing seasons.

n!ghtmancometh

iLikeWaffles wrote: »

Well they're wild animals so... Yes it would be dangerous.

Yes it's irresponsible. The deer will lose fear of humans due to us giving them food by hand. They will start approaching people who have no intention of feeding them and this could cause conflict. The deer spook easily too, so good chance you could be injured too by being so close to them.

Really bugs me seeing people feeding them and taking stupid selfies actually. Not saying you were doing that either btw OP.

uck51js9zml2yt

Dont_Cry For_Me Argentina! wrote: »

How can you tell?
Do the males have very obvious dangly bits :P

The dangly bits aren't the danger...it's those bits on top of their heads that cause the damage:)

Dont_Cry For_Me Argentina!

Thanks folks, I just love interacting with nature.

I suppose the best way to help them is to let them help themselves ... ie, don't feed them. They are beautiful majestic animals.

Del2005

iLikeWaffles wrote: »

Well they're wild animals so... Yes it would be dangerous.

The likelihood of them being startled and running off causing their predator alert instincts to kick in would be unpredictable: probably why the park rangers ask the public not to feed or get too close. As its a public park others may be injured from them being out of control. There is just no way to tell if Children might be in there path also so best to steer clear or view from a distance.

You should avoid unknown tame/domesticated animals as you don't know know they'll react, never mind wild animals.

ytpe2r5bxkn0c1

Guys, I think it's a wind up.

OwlEye

Careful now...someone will probably tell you that you'll get TB

Del2005

Kayla Rhythmic Mattress wrote: »

Guys, I think it's a wind up.

Since people have died taking selfies it's never safe to assume someone asking about dealing with wild animals is a wind up.

dogmatix

Way back in 2004 while camping near Banff in Canada, I was woken up by a herd of large Elk moving through the campsite. It was an amazing sight but one camper wanted to get a pic with himself and a very impressive stag. He hands the camera to me and he scampers over to the increasingly agitated stag. It being the start of the rutting season, I tried to dissuade the bloke that this was not a good idea but he was having none of it. Neither was the stag who finally lost his temper and made a charge at the camper. I meanwhile had placed myself behind a tree suspecting this would be the outcome. Luckily the stag broke off after a few paces and I then handed the camera back to the chastened camper. And he did not get a picture either.

The lesson is never get too close to deer, especially stags, and especially during the rutting season (although I suspect the season here is probably over by now).

Those elk where magnificent creatures but the males had a horrible call – like a very loud screen door opening and closing on rusty hinges.

bkrangle

My sister lives in a small-game reserve in South Africa which is heavily populated with assorted antelope and other wild animals such as giraffe, zebra and warthogs.

One of the other residents was attempting to feed a seemingly tame Nyala (a medium sized antelope, not a million miles away from a deer) and wound up being gored through the stomach with sharp horns.

The bottom line is that wild animals should be treated with the appropriate levels of respect and caution at all times, even if they seem tame.

On a recent visit to Phoenix park I saw people with their kids feeding carrots to the fallow deer. This was in the middle of rutting season and the park rangers came over in a jeep with a loudspeaker and asked people to stop. Even with the rangers there, warning of the danger and asking people to move to a safe distance, some people (with their kids in tow) persisted in feeding the deer.

ytpe2r5bxkn0c1

Del2005 wrote: »

Since people have died taking selfies it's never safe to assume someone asking about dealing with wild animals is a wind up.

Oh this guy was a wind up for sure. The scenario is all too real but he wasn't.