A spate of animal deaths caused by people ignoring instructions not to feed them has been brought to the fore by sad fate of Callum the Stag in Scotland.
The beast had to be put down after losing all his teeth thanks to being fed unhealthy snacks like croissants and marshmallows by visitors.
The tragedy came despite clear warnings not to feed Britain’s wildlife, and the obvious dangers of getting too close to powerful animals.
Rob Stoneman, director of landscape recovery for The Wildlife Trusts, commented: ‘As the rather tragic story of Callum the Stag shows, it is best to not feed wild animals.
‘Instead, we should focus on ensuring wildlife has enough food in the wild to sustain them.’
Here, we look at other examples of Britain’s wildlife suffering at the hands of dim-witted visitors:
New Forest pony killed by carrots
One New Forest pony had to be put down after being fed chopped carrots, which present a huge choking hazard.
The female pony, which grazed in the forest near Beaulieu, Hampshire, suffered damage to its throat and was found foaming at the mouth before being given care.
The New Forest Commoners Defence Association said in a heartbreaking 2021 post: ‘A few weeks ago an act of supposed kindness resulted in a pony being found choking on carrots
‘She was caught…and received veterinary care. However, she could not be saved, the feeding had caused irreparable damage to her throat and she had to be put to sleep.’
The death came despite the New Forest Code banning touching or feeding animals.
Feeding and petting them became a fineable offence last July, with the introduction of two Public Space Protection Orders by New Forest District Council.
Anyone caught is liable for a fixed penalty fine of £100, or up to £1,000 if prosecuted.
Commoner Erika Dovey, who is also a ranger for the National Park Authority, told the BBC at the time of the death: ‘The ponies in the forest have a natural diet and they graze on everything in the New Forest, so they’re not used to having those large, hard vegetables.’
‘They start hanging around the roads and car parks [looking for food from humans], and that leads to a lot more road traffic accidents which results in deaths.
‘We’re trying to help educate people why the act of kindness isn’t kind, ultimately, it’s like a death sentence.’
New Forest ponies have been free to roam the New Forest since common pasture rights were granted to the inhabitants in the eleventh century.
Cleveland Bay mare Harmony
A breeder has mourned the loss of a pregnant horse ‘rarer than a giant panda’ which was ‘killed after being fed by an ignorant member of the public’.
The mare, called Harmony, was found dead by William Medforth at Penrhyn Stud in Caernarfon, Wales, in 2023, having allegedly been fed over the fence by a passer-by.
Only around 15 to 20 female Clevelands are born worldwide on a yearly basis.
The breed, which hails from the Cleveland area of north east England, has been established since the Middle Ages, when they carried the goods of travelling salesmen.
Mr Medforth recalled: ‘I drove past the field on my way to work and saw her lying in the field.
‘Evidence suggested someone had tossed food items over the gate and she had died of colic or perhaps choke.
‘Patches of grass nearby had been extensively grazed, a sign she had been scouring food items from the ground. There also appeared to be remnants of peelings at the edges of these patches.
‘Harmony loved her food, so it’s likely she ate the majority of what she was given.’
It was the second time Penrhyn Stud has lost a horse due to feeding by strangers. In 2020, an 18-month-old gelding collapsed in another field, and food was found within six feet of his body.
Signs were put up on all of the farm’s boundaries imploring people not to feed its horses – but the warnings have gone unheeded.
Mr Medforth added that, regardless of what people might think, feeding horses is unnecessary and dangerous – as the mounts ‘want for nothing’ and get a balanced diet from the farm.
He continued: ‘Over winter, there’s less grass on the ground and fields can be a little muddy, so some people might think horses and livestock aren’t getting enough food.
‘Others might just think it’s a nice idea to feed a pretty horse. But our horses are well looked after, they’re fed a balanced diet. If anything, they’re fed better than we are.
‘Why do the general public think it’s OK to feed livestock without permission? They wouldn’t walk up to someone and feed their dog chocolate or grapes, which are poisonous to them.
‘People might think carrots are OK for horses but, cut the wrong way, they can cause choke. So please don’t interfere with their diets, you might be killing them with your ignorance.’
Clowning around in Bushy Park near Hampton Court Palace:
While some people decide to play around with animals, in full view of signs asking for members of the public not to feed them, their actions can have serious consequences for the wildlife in question.
This foolhardy man was photographed in 2020 feeding bread by hand to a red deer stag in Bushy Park in Hampton, south-west London.
His actions were compounded as he did it while standing next to two signs – one warning visitors to keep well away from the deer, the other saying not to feed them.
The man was lucky to be left unscathed. A seven-year-old girl being photographed next to a rutting stag was gored in the thigh in Bushy Park in 2018 and taken to hospital.
The previous year, a woman was wounded in the thigh and stomach by a rutting stag in nearby Richmond Park.
The Royal Parks, which runs both sites, say: ‘Please do not feed the deer, it’s illegal.
‘There is an abundance of natural food in Richmond Park and Bushy Park for our herds of deer. They eat grass, leaves and shoots of trees, as well as acorns and chestnuts.
‘When visitors illegally feed deer, they are teaching these wild and powerful animals to approach humans for food which is dangerous for all involved.’
Callum the Stag
Callum the Stag lost his teeth after strangers gave him sugary treats like marshmallows and croissants.
He had no fear of humans and was a popular draw for visitors on the North Coast 500 route where he patrolled a carpark in Rosshire, and even posed for pictures.
Dozens of photos of him were shared online and he would even put his head into vehicles to hoover up unhealthy treats including marshmallows, polo mints and dog biscuits.
He was also fed bananas, apples and pastries, according to some of the social media posts.
Notices were put up at the carpark urging people not to feed him, but tourists remained undeterred, and in the end he struggled to forage as he had lost so many teeth.
A spokeswoman for the National Trust for Scotland said: ‘We are saddened to say that following expert vet advice, Callum the Stag, who was often found in the car park at Torridon, has had to be humanely put down.
‘We know that many in the community, and visitors too, will be sorry to hear this. As a conservation charity, we take our responsibilities for animal welfare seriously and the advice was that this was the kindest option.’
Deer are herbivores and can also develop diabetes and the Scottish Gamekeepers’ Association reiterated yesterday they should not be given human treats.
A spokesman said: ‘Red deer should not be fed human food. They eat grasses, lichens, bark and tree shoots as well as things like beech mast.
‘The only food in their diet which would resemble human food is bilberry, a bit like a small, natural blueberry, but things like mints, sweets, etc are a no.
‘They can cause digestive issues. Deer can also get diabetes so sugary foods are not good.’