Young deer seen trotting past a parked car outside my house
(Harold Hill, Essex - 23 Nov, 2024)
I.
As much as I might like to, I don't suppose I'll ever visit the Japanese city of Nara, where, for many centuries, sika deer have been regarded as sacred animals and natural treasures, protecting the city and and its inhabitants and bringing good fortune.
Also known as spotted deer, these graceful and medium-sized herbivores are relatively tame and allowed to roam not just in Nara Park, but throughout the city [1]. Citizens, as well as tourists, feed them on specially formulated deer crackers (sika senbei) [2].
II.
Still, even without visiting Nara, I often encounter deer on a daily basis - right here on Harold Hill ... [3]
Thought to have been introduced to the area by the Neve family - who lived at the Manor Country House, long before the post-War housing estate was built on land they had previously owned - the Harold Hill & Noak Hill deer herd are one of five in the area that have been successfully breeding for many generations.
Although some miserable cunts complain about the deer visiting their gardens and argue that they pose a health and safety risk as well as a nuisance, other residents are delighted that such majestic animals are freely roaming on greens and seen trotting through car parks, or around the local shops.
There are, apparently, 25,000 people living in Harold Hill and only around 400 deer: surely the former can - and should - accommodate such a number (personally, I'd happily rewild large areas of the estate and introduce wolf packs to control the number of deer - and residents).
Harold Hill Deer
Photo by Maria Thanassa
Notes
[1] Nara's deer are given the David Attenborough treatment in a short clip on the BBC website: click here.
[2] These rice crackers may be delicious, but, unfortunately, they are not the healthiest option, lacking in fibre and other essential nutrients. Studies have found that many of the Nara deer - particularly those who make the park their home - are malnourished due to their preference for proceessed food rather than grass.
[3] For a BBC News report dated 20 April, 2021 on the deer of Harold Hill, click here.
