Video: Tame Aberdeen deer to be ‘saved’

TAME deer living near an Aberdeen community are holding up a major tree planting operation.

But Aberdeen city council has pledged to “rehome” the group of woodland creatures.

The council is currently carrying out planting at Nigg’s Lochinch Farm Interpretation Centre.

But workers came across a problem at the Redmoss Road site when they realised four deer and two sheep were living there.

Residents, who have fed the animals for more than 15 years, feared they would be culled but Aberdeen council insists moves are now under way to rehome them.

Concerns were first raised over the deer at a meeting of Nigg Community Council.

Chairman Alan Strachan said: “The animals could never be released into the wild because they wouldn’t survive.

“They’ve been there for years and there’s a lot of people who feed them. People don’t want any harm to come to the animals.”

James Brownhill, who has lived near the farm for more than 30 years, said it was wrong for the council to begin work with the animals still on site.

He said: “It would have been better if they were rehomed before any work started.”

Area councillor Neil Cooney said a cull would be the “last resort”.

He said efforts were under way to move the animals to sites in the North-east or the Scottish Deer Centre in Cupar.

He said: “This has been their home for years but they need to be moved for the work to be finished.”

kwilson@ ajl.co.uk