Visitors to Phoenix Park in Dublin have been providing the resident deer with unhealthy food such as chocolate, crisps, and carbonated drinks, causing significant changes in the animals’ normal behaviour, according to a research conducted by the University College Dublin. As a countermeasure, the Office of Public Works has launched a campaign called ‘Protect Our Park – Don’t Feed The Deer’ to address the adverse health effects identified by the research.
Interestingly, the report found that male deer are being given lower-quality food than their female counterparts, leading to a decline in the size of their antlers and impacting their success during the mating season.
Moreover, artificial feeding by humans has grown the deers’ dependency on non-natural food, resulting in roughly one-quarter of them frequently expecting food from park visitors. There appears to also be a generational impact, as deer that persistently seek food from humans are often found passing on such traits to their offspring.
On the matter, the Minister of State for the Office of Public Works, Kieran O’Donnell, commented, “Visitors can significantly contribute to the conservation of these grand animals, which have lived in Phoenix Park for over three centuries, by keeping a safe distance and refraining from feeding them.” O’Donnell further warned how feeding could destabilise the park’s ecosystem and potentially threaten the deers’ survival in the park.
Dubliners are exceptionally proud of Phoenix Park, a place adored by both locals and tourists. O’Donnell appealed to all park goers to assist in this campaign to preserve the habitats of these iconic creatures.
Visitors are urged to maintain a minimum distance of 50m (164ft) from the deer and avoid engaging in any actions that could potentially harm both the animals and themselves, such as feeding and taking selfies. Signs will be positioned across the park to educate visitors about the adverse, long-term effects of feeding the animals artificially, including a heightened risk of disease transmission, potential harm to humans, and stress on the animals due to undesirable interactions.