Death by snacks! Tears for Callum the stag amid fears the popular deer was killed by the kindness of strangers By Krissy Storrar For The Scottish Daily Mail Published: 22:53, 21 June 2024 | Updated: 23:29, 21 June 2024 e-mail View comments A stag that became a social media star for his tame nature has died amid claims tourists feeding him unhealthy snacks, including marshmallows, helped cause his death. Callum the Stag lost his teeth after strangers gave him treats, forcing the locals to feed him over the winter months to keep him alive. The 13-pointer beast had no fear of humans and was a popular draw for visitors on the North Coast 500 route where he patrolled a carpark at Torridon, Ross-shire, and even posed for pictures.
But there has been an outpouring of anger after it emerged the stag had been euthanised on welfare grounds by the National Trust for Scotland (NTS). Many Highlanders expressed their distress that the government quango had acted without consulting locals, while others were enraged that Callum had been fed unsuitable food by visitors. One said: ‘Callum’s demise is tragically down to over-tourism, social media and people with no respect for wildlife.
‘Visitors travelling to a car park to get a selfie with Callum, was more important to many, than his life itself.’ Tourists visiting the nature reserve in Torridon used to share snacks with the deer Another wrote: ‘Shame on the tourists and anyone who has contributed to this beautiful animal’s death..
