It’s that time of year again and Santa is calling on all his little helpers to remember to ‘Steer Clear’ of the wild deer in the Phoenix Park and give them lots of space this Christmas.
The Phoenix Park is home a herd of wild deer and at this time of year they can be seen roaming the Park. It can be very tempting to approach these beautiful creatures but Santa is asking you to look from afar to keep both the deer and yourself safe.
Santa was talking to OPW Park Superintendent Paul McDonnell about the deer and his message to all the boys and girls, and their parents too is this…
“Ho ho ho! I have a very special request this year. You see, while my reindeer at the North Pole love the attention, their cousins in the Phoenix Park are a little shy. The best gift you can give them is your space. Please keep at least 50m away.”
To provide a safe and fun alternative, the Phoenix Park has set up special post boxes for children to drop off their letters to Santa and Rudolf. These post boxes can be found at the Papal Cross Car Park and the Phoenix Park Visitors Centre Car Park in the lead up to Christmas. Families with young children are encouraged to use these post boxes as a way to show their concern for the well-being of the wild deer.
OPW Park Superintendent, Paul McDonnell stated: “It is very understandable that people of all ages want to get close to the wild deer, especially at Christmas. The Phoenix Park is home to herds of wild deer, they roam freely in the Park but they pose a significant threat of injury, especially to young people given their size and potentially erratic behaviour if approached.
We remind visitors to avoid feeding the deer and to observe their natural behaviours from a respectful distance of at least 50 metres. Let’s help Santa get his message out and stay clear of the deer this Christmas.”
Visitors are encouraged to keep a safe distance from the deer and not to feed them this Christmas. The result will be a safe and happy Christmas season for visitors and wildlife in the Phoenix Park.
