‘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. 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 follow.
