Number of injuries among tourists up as Nara deer population hits record levels
Japan’s popular tourist attraction reports spike in injuries
- The deer population in Japan's Nara Park has reached a record high of 1,465, the highest count since 1953, attributed to increased food availability from foreign tourists.
- This growing population has led to a rise in tourist injuries, with 159 cases last year (111 involving foreign visitors), as well as more traffic accidents and deer venturing into urban areas.
- Incidents often stem from tourists excessively touching or provoking the deer, prompting the prefectural government to distribute multilingual pamphlets advising caution.
- Nara's deer are legally protected as a national natural monument, with strict prohibitions against capturing them, and authorities have focused on protective measures like fencing rather than expanding culling zones.
- Concerns have been raised by researchers regarding the survival of the deer due to a programme cutting down acorn-bearing trees, a vital food source, which could force hungry deer to seek food outside the park.