The beast of Bushy Park: Man hurled to ground in latest attack by a rutting stag

By NICK FAGGE and EMILY ANDREWS

Attack: A man in knocked down by the stag in Bushy Park in south-west London, the latest victim of the rutting animals that have rampaged through the park in recent weeks

Targets have already included a female walker, a young girl and a swan.

Now a man in his 50s has become the latest victim of rutting stags running rampant round a London park.

The unidentified man was knocked off his feet by the red male deer, who charged him from 200 yards away with its 16-point antlers, leaving him on his back and sending the bottle of water he was carrying flying.


Responsible? This sixteen point stag is believed to be the one that carried out the attack in Bushy Park

He was saved by passers-by, who ran to his aid and scared the animal away.

Autumn is the mating season for deer and stags aggressively compete for does, shunning food and devoting their time to capturing a harem of females, who come into season for only one or two days.

This year, however, that aggression appears to have spilled over into other targets.


And although no one can be sure if the same stag is responsible for all the attacks, locals at Bushy Park, in south-west London, are blaming an animal they have dubbed the Beast of Bushy.

Last week a woman walking through the park had to flee a charging stag, while a young girl was taken to hospital after she was attacked.

A Royal Parks spokesman said: ‘Deer are wild animals and must be treated with caution.

'Visitors are reminded to keep a respectful distance of at least 50 yards from the creatures.’

source: dailymail

Read more »

Pick on someone your own size! Stag leaps into river after turning on SWAN

By DAILY MAIL REPORTER


Minding his own business: This unsuspecting swan was gliding along on a stream through Bushy Park when it got caught in the middle of two rutting stags

This is the dramatic moment an unsuspecting swan is attacked by a stag in extraordinary scenes along a quiet London riverbed.

As the tranquil swan gently moved along a stream through Bushy Park, in Richmond, either side of the water two male stags were preparing to clash.

It is the second attack by rutting stags in a matter of days in the park after a woman was chased and left 'badly shaken' as she watched a mating ritual.


Beauty and the beast: The rutting stag advances on the swan in Bushy Park -onlookers were stunned at the extraordinary scenes

Amazingly in this latest stag attack the swan managed to make a miraculous escape ducking out of the way, with just moments to spare, as the two stags crashed into each other with full force.


Innocent victim: The swan was scooped up by the stag, in scenes captured by photographer Robert Piper, and driven over to the other side of the bank

Both extraordinary scenes were captured by keen photographer Robert Piper, 55.
Speaking about the swan incident, he said: 'That area of the park was very busy at the time - there were families picnicking on the banks of the stream just a few yards away.


Lucky escape: The swan just manages to fly away from the rutting stags, who desperately want to lock horns


Escape route: The swan dives under the water as the stag looks on, amazingly neither creature was injured

'It’s important to remind park visitors that deer are wild animals and must be treated with caution. It’s dangerous to approach the deer at any time of year, but especially between September and November, when the males are rutting.
'Signs throughout the park warn that caution is necessary.'


Giving chase: The scene in Bushy Park on September 23 as a stag chases a woman, getting close enough to lift her jacket with its horns

source: dailymail

Read more »