Oh deer

The story of downtown deer ends in tragedy

By Davie Wong, Columnist

The life of one of Vancouver’s most famous unofficial mascots was tragically ended this month. On September 13, around 7:30 p.m., Vancouver Police officers were called to the end of the Lion’s Gate Bridge, where a deer was reportedly struck and killed by an oncoming car.

An official statement released by the Vancouver Park Board the next day confirmed the fears of many; the deer that had been killed in the collision was indeed the famous Downtown Deer.

It didn’t take long for the news of the beloved creature’s death to reach Vancouverites, who started trending #DowntownDeer to pay their respects. The young deer rose to fame back in July, when it was spotted roaming around downtown Vancouver, eventually making its home in Stanley Park.

As videos and pictures began revealing that the deer was actually quite friendly, more and more people began seeking this elusive creature, combing Stanley Park and downtown Vancouver for a chance to spot him. This was a regular occurrence despite multiple warnings from park officials, wildlife experts, and the BC Ministry of Forests, Lands & Natural Resource Operations (MFLNRO) about the defensive nature of wild animals, such as this deer.

Amongst the many tributes that have arrived, many people have also questioned why the infamous deer was not relocated for its own safety. Surely, someone saw this coming, right? A deer has no place in a city.

The BC MFLNRO said in a statement that they had been looking into options to relocate the deer, but could not find any before it was too late.

On the surface, the task of relocating a lost deer seems fairly simple. Immobilize it and transport it back into the wild, right? However, as it has come to light, the task was much more complicated than it seemed.

The deer had begun relying on humans for food and had become habituated to them, so relocating it to the wild was no longer an option, as explained in the same statement. Its friendly behaviour towards humans showed that it was likely under the care or influence of other humans in the past.

Relocating the deer would have resulted in its death due to its inability to fend for itself, because it had been relying on humans for so long. In other words, it was doomed regardless of intervention.

But is there something that Vancouverites could’ve done to prevent such a tragedy? Ironically, yes. The best course of action in this scenario is to take no action at all. In a statement to the media, Vancouver Park Board biologist Nick Page said, “Contact with people can cause the animal to become dependent and aggressive towards humans.” This makes it much more difficult to find sanctuaries to house these animals.

So it seems that the life of the most famous deer in the Lower Mainland has ended in one of the most ironic ways. In a truly Shakespearean-esque style, Vancouverites have unknowingly slain the creature they adore so much. By loving this animal and trying to save it by feeding it, we have ultimately killed it.