Killarney park in a rut

MAKING the most of the splendid autumn weather of recent weeks, large numbers of people have been flocking to Killarney National Park and surrounding areas to get a close-up view of the red deer during the annual ‘rut’, or mating season, writes Donal Hickey.

Thousands of photographs are being taken of these magnificent animals. The stags, many with awesome-looking antlers, are now in peak condition and the stronger ones will have dominated weaker and younger males before the season ends later this month. On clear frosty evenings, the roars of the stags can be heard echoing for kilometres in wooded, mountain areas.

The Wild Deer Association and the National Parks and Wildlife Service hosted a walk through the deer habitat, giving people a chance to see the deer at close quarters, with stags sometimes locking antlers and fighting for control of the hinds. Numbers of people travelling long distances to see the spectacle are increasing. However, deer experts have warned people not to go too close and to stick to roadways and pathways, as stags are very territorial at this time and might even attack people who venture too near them.