Richmond Park in London has been home to over 600 wild deer since 1637.

Richmond Park was officially established by King Charles I in 1637 as a deer park, and it remains the largest of London's eight Royal Parks. It covers approximately 2,500 acres and is famous for its population of roughly 630 Red and Fallow deer. The Red deer are the largest land mammals native to the United Kingdom, while the Fallow deer were originally introduced by the Romans. The park is enclosed by a historic brick wall that spans nearly 8 miles in length. This wall was built to keep the deer in and the public out, though today it serves to protect the wildlife from the surrounding urban sprawl. The deer are essential to the park's status as a Site of Special Scientific Interest and a National Nature Reserve. Their grazing habits create a unique 'browse line' on the trees, where all foliage below a certain height is eaten away. This process maintains the open parkland aesthetic and allows diverse plant species to thrive on the ground. Research by The Royal Parks organization shows that without these herbivores, the area would quickly revert to dense woodland, destroying the habitat for many rare insects and birds. Management of the herd is strictly controlled to ensure the health of the population and the ecosystem. Each year, a cull is performed to keep the numbers stable and prevent overgrazing. This ensures that the ancient oaks, some of which are over 750 years old, continue to survive alongside the wildlife.