Deer in Nara, Japan

K. scritches the head of a deer lying on the ground in Nara, near Kyoto. Nara is the ancient capital of Japan and although it has many important Buddhist and Shinto buildings and other sights, it also has a large herd of sacred deer. They are, for the most part, unafraid of humans. You can buy bundles of deer biscuits to feed them and once they see that you have them, they will mob you. Some will, if they feel you're holding out on them, nip you, so one has to be discreet or at least careful.

Stags like this one have glands near the roots of their horns that secrete a sticky substance that they use to mark trees. K. has just complained that the deer's head is getting her hand dirty. My response is a reference to a Simpsons episode, where Stan Lee forces a kid's Spiderman figure into his Batmobile model. Kid: "You broke my Batmobile!" Stan Lee: "Broke it? -or made it *better*?"

The deer had one floppy ear. According to Cute Overload, this makes it cuter.

Category:

Pets & Animals

Tags:

• deer
• stag
• nara
• japan
• shika

[Adeltraut]

waho he seems to enjoy this. every dear i have met at zoos so far, were only letting this happen in hope to get some food

[whateverlolawants]

What cute deer! I think a friend of mine went here once... nice reference, btw.

[cincodemay123]

There is a calmness in all your videos and an view that I find enjoyable. I wish you would post more. Now is the deer happy to have his glands scratched or does he want to place his scent on a tree/human? And witty reference.