Is Downtown Deer too friendly for its own good?
New video shows young buck has no fear when it comes to humans. And that's not a good thing.
Downtown Deer is back in the news, but familiarity raising concerns
Vancouver's Downtown Deer is in the news again thanks to new video showing the fawn licking and nuzzling the hand of a tourist in Stanley Park.
The young buck with budding antlers appears to be completely at ease as a woman alternates between petting its head, and allowing it to lick her hand.
A man off camera is heard to exclaim, "I've never, ever seen a deer this tame!"
The animal, nicknamed the "Downtown Deer", first appeared in July wandering the streets of Vancouver, after it apparently swam across the Burrard Inlet.
Three days ago a CBC camera captured the deer wandering perilously close to traffic on the Stanley Park Causeway.
Vancouver Park Board biologist Nick Page says the biggest concern is that the deer will be hit by a car. He says regardless of how friendly it is, people need to leave the deer alone.
"We want it to be in the natural areas of the park," said Page. "Anytime it's associating with people, whether it's feeding or other forms of interaction, the risk increases."
There are currently no plans to relocate the deer.