Famous deer killed after tourists fed it croissants

A red deer that had become a social media star had to be humanely put down by veterinarians.

They found him in poor physical condition in the Beinn Eighe car park near Torridon in the Scottish Highlands, suffering from painful arthritis and malnutrition.

For many years, well-meaning visitors to the area fed the deer, named Callum, granola bars, croissants and Rice Krispies.

He had become accustomed to being hand fed, which meant he was often seen in car parks during the tourist season. He was also far from camera shy. Many people driving along the North Coast 500 route took the opportunity to snap a photo, but unfortunately the sugary snacks they gave him in return rotted his teeth, making it difficult for him to forage for food naturally.

With barely enough teeth to graze his native grasses, heather and tree shoots with ease, Callum the stag had to supplement his diet with junk food and be fed hay by the locals during the winter months. Although horses and cattle can survive on it, it is not particularly nutritious for red deer as their digestive systems are not adequate to process it.

Signs along the footpath from the car park to Beinn Eighe depicted Callum with the message “Please do not feed me or get too close!” However, walkers and passing motorists often ignored these signs because they were so happy to be close to a wild red deer.

Callum’s story is just one of many told across the Highlands of enthusiastic tourists inappropriately treating the local wildlife. In 2020, a hotel in Glencoe warned guests not to approach or feed the deer after one visitor was seen waving chocolate biscuits at a stag, provoking the animal to attack, while another attempted to ply whiskey to a young stag, causing it to enter a camper’s tent.

In none of the cases was anyone injured, but the stories could have ended with serious injuries to both humans and animals.

Highland historian Andrew Grant McKenzie, a red deer lover, said: “The issue of people feeding wildlife comes up regularly in the Highlands. Callum was a wild animal who became something of a local legend. Now that he is gone, hopefully his life has demonstrated the importance of respecting our nature in the Highlands and not giving the deer anything they could not naturally eat themselves.”

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