NARA - Nara Park, a world-famous site where wild deer freely roam among tourists, is facing growing concern over the animals’ survival as local authorities continue cutting down acorn-bearing trees. Researchers warn the move could seriously affect the deer's ability to endure the harsh winter months.
At the heart of the issue is the ongoing removal of trees that produce acorns—an essential food source for deer from autumn through winter. Shiro Tatsusawa, a faculty member at Hokkaido University who has long studied the deer population in and around Nara Park, expressed alarm over the growing number of fresh stumps found in the park, noting that many of them were from acorn trees. "They’re clearly targeting acorn trees. Nobody seems to be considering things from the deer’s perspective," said Tatsusawa.
Acorns are not only crucial nutrition-wise but also play a role in the animals’ winter survival behavior. Deer tend to gather under large acorn trees during cold spells, sheltering in the accumulated leaf litter for warmth. "The base of these trees becomes a critical place that determines whether the deer can survive winter," Tatsusawa explained.
Nara Prefecture has defended the tree removal under its 2012 Nara Park Landscape Plan. The initiative, which began full-scale in 2019, aims to restore the original scenic beauty of the park—established in the Meiji era in 1880 and designated a national cultural property in 1922—by managing tree growth and replacing large trees with species like pine and cherry. As of now, around 280 trees have been felled, nearly 40 of which were acorn trees such as shirakaya and ichii.
But deer are facing an additional problem: a decline in summer grass, their primary warm-season food. The sharp rise in tourist numbers has led to grass being trampled, tearing it up by the roots. Despite efforts to restore these areas, photographs taken three years apart show visible degradation. Tatsusawa warned that this growing food shortage could have broader consequences. "As their natural food declines, deer may become more dependent on humans, potentially behaving more aggressively to get food," he said. He also noted the risk that deer could begin leaving the park in search of food, increasing the likelihood of crop damage in surrounding areas.
Citizens are also voicing concern. A local advocacy group launched a petition demanding a halt to the acorn tree logging and the recovery of grasslands. In less than a month, around 25,000 signatures were collected and submitted to Nara Governor Makoto Yamashita in May.
Officials from Nara Park’s administrative office argue that the tree removals represent only a small fraction of the park's total acorn trees and that there is no immediate food crisis. "There are still many acorn-bearing trees in the park. The number cut down is only about 10 percent of that area," said one official. They added that since the start of logging in 2019, the deer population has not decreased, and they believe the food supply remains stable. Governor Yamashita also emphasized, "Cutting 58 trees out of 6 million should have almost no impact. Even if there is a small effect, the deer can simply go to the mountains outside the park to eat acorns."
Tatsusawa remains unconvinced. "Even a 10 percent reduction in acorn trees affects the deer. We’re already seeing some becoming more reliant on human feeding," he said, pointing out that deer now often rush toward people carrying deer crackers. "We’ve successfully protected them until now, but since it was humans who increased their numbers, we also have a responsibility to find the right balance going forward."
As debates continue between officials prioritizing park aesthetics and experts focused on deer welfare, the centuries-old coexistence between humans and deer in Nara hangs in the balance.
Source: MBS
