Callum the Scottish Highland stag had to be put down after suffering poor health. Photo / Facebook
Callum the Scottish Highland stag had to be put down after suffering poor health. Photo / Facebook
‘Local legend’ Callum was euthanised after his health deteriorated, with residents blaming tourists for feeding him snacks.
A stag made famous on social media had to be put down after it was fed junk food by hikers.
Callum, described as a “well-known character” in the northwest Scottish Highlands, had to be euthanised after developing health problems.
The animal’s willingness to approach visitors in the carpark of Beinn Eighe National Nature Reserve and eat from their hands led him to become a popular draw for those on the North Coast 500 route and earned the creature a celebrity status online.
Videos posted on YouTube show Callum being fed croissants and Rice Krispies, as well as healthier snacks such as strawberries and apples.
Callum was known to frequent the carpark of Beinn Eighe National Nature Reserve in the Scottish Highlands. Photo / Donna Jennings
But after the National Trust for Scotland announced it had been forced to have Callum put down, residents expressed concern that the stag’s access to snacks was to blame for his deteriorating health.
They claim being fed the wrong types of food caused Callum’s teeth to rot and meant he struggled to forage for himself in the colder months.
Iona MacDonald, a Highlands journalist, told the BBC the stag had to rely on residents to feed it in winter.
“Callum was a very well-known character for both tourists and locals,” she said, adding that, “after being fed by tourists for quite some time, it seemed he had become quite reliant on that food source”.
A National Trust for Scotland spokesman said: “We are saddened to say that following expert vet advice, Callum the stag, who was often found in the carpark at Torridon, has had to be humanely put down.
“We know that many in the community, and visitors too, will be sorry to hear this.
“As a conservation charity, we take our responsibilities for animal welfare seriously and the advice was that this was the kindest option.
“The expert vet assessment found that Callum was suffering pain and discomfort as a result of poor body condition, poor coat condition and arthritis.”
A local farmer usually brought vegetable scraps for Callum, whose teeth had rotted after being fed the wrong food. Photo / Theresa Kingston-Durman
Callum’s fans were saddened by the news, with Andrew Grant McKenzie, a Highlands historian, describing the stag as a “local legend”.
“Sad news that Callum will no longer be at the Beinn Eighe carpark, but I have no doubt the advice from the vet was for welfare reasons and Callum’s condition had deteriorated in recent years,” said McKenzie.
“The issue of people feeding wildlife is one that comes up regularly across the Highlands and Callum’s popularity should serve as a way of communicating the message that we must be careful with our interaction with the natural world.”
But he added: “There is no doubt Callum had a good long life for a stag.”
