A stag has been shot dead in south west London’s Richmond Park after the animal injured a man eating his picnic.
The Metropolitan Police said it had been called by the London Ambulance Service at 6.23pm to reports of a man injured by a deer.
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On Monday, a Royal Parks spokeswoman said the stag was “looking for food”.
The spokeswoman said: “We understand from the police that thankfully the injuries were not life-threatening.
“Sadly, the stag’s behaviour meant that it had to be put down as it was deemed to be a danger to visitors.
“We suspect that this particular stag may have learnt to associate visitors with food.
“If visitors follow our advice and do not feed or interfere with the deer, it is highly unlikely that they will exhibit this type of behaviour.”
The stag was shot dead by a Royal Parks wildlife officer, the charity added.
The man, in his 60s, suffered chest injuries and was taken to hospital.
There, his wounds were assessed as neither life-changing nor life threatening, the Met said.
The animal interaction is said to have taken place near Roehampton Gate Cafe, a frequent pit stop for cyclists during the summer.
Jeremy Calvert, who witnessed the emergency response, told The Times it was a “slightly unusual place” to spot a deer, adding that the wild animals are usually “a bit deeper in the interior”.
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“It looked like a pretty serious incident based on the number of emergency vehicles there,” he said.
Police had blocked one of the roads, but the park was still busy with groups of picknickers and cyclists, he added.
Last month, manager of Royal Parks Paul Richards warned visitors that petting and feeding deer stresses the wild animals and creates a “serious risk of a tragic accident resulting in life-changing injuries or, in the worst case, a fatal incident”.
The spokeswoman for Royal Parks said the charity was “shocked and alarmed” to see videos and photographs of park visitors interacting with and feeding deer in nearby Bushy Park after issuing the warning.
“Deer in Bushy and Richmond Parks are wild animals and should never be fed, approached or touched,” she said.
“Repeated feeding can cause deer to lose their natural wariness of people and seek out food from visitors, creating risks for both people and wildlife.”
Royal Parks advised visitors to keep at least 50 metres away and to never touch or feed the deer.
If a deer does approach a visitor, “put all food and packaging out of sight and move away slowly and calmly”, Royal Parks added.
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