A Highland deer, popular on the social media platform Instagram, has been put down after hikers fed it junk food. In the Beinn Eighe car park, a popular destination for tourists, Callum was frequently given “treats” by courteous passersby.
It lost the majority of his teeth, presumably as a result of eating unsuitable foods. It made it difficult for him to find food on his own throughout the winter.
According to the Telegraph, Callum can be seen eating Rice Krispies and croissants in videos that have been uploaded on YouTube, along with more nutritious foods like carrots and almonds.
Many tourists doing the North Coast 500 route stopped to take pictures, but sadly, the sweet goodies they handed him in exchange caused his teeth to decay, making it harder for him to go on his foraging adventures.
The forced “humane” death of Callum was verified by the National Trust for Scotland (NTS). The trust stated he had lost the majority of his teeth but did not disclose the severity of his health problems.
However, according to Discover Wildlife, the stag was malnourished and in excruciating discomfort from arthritis.
In the past, Callum was shown on posters alongside the Scotland road trip route, urging travellers not to “feed me or get too close.”
Callum is a “local legend,” according to Highland historian and admirer of the renowned red deer Andrew Grant McKenzie, who spoke to Ross-shire Journal and criticised visitors for giving wild animals food that they couldn’t “browse themselves naturally” and called Callum a victim of human greed.
McKenzie said, “There is no doubt Callum had a good long life for a stag.”
The Independent cited an NTS spokesperson as stating that they are “saddened” to report that, in accordance with professional veterinary advice, Callum had to be “humanely” put down.
The spokesman continued by acknowledging that many visitors and residents would be disappointed to learn of this.
They said that, as a conservation organisation, they take their responsibility for animal welfare thoroughly and that this was the most humane course of action.
A professional veterinary evaluation stated that Callum’s health had declined and that his “poor body condition, poor coat condition, and arthritis” were the reasons for his pain and distress.
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