When will the “Be careful, drunk deer crossing” signs appear? Certainly never, but the fact remains that these deer sometimes find themselves in a state similar to drunkenness. Mainly in spring, when they consume the buds of the trees.
“As deer are ruminants, the sugar will ferment in their stomach and turn into alcohol. This will lead to a state of intoxication in these animals,” detailed France 3 New Aquitaine Aurélie Gontier.
The director of SOS Faune Sauvage also described the behavior of the deer in this case. “They are very euphoric, you can see them running and jumping in the middle of the fields in a rather disorderly way. It’s quite special to observe…”
Be careful, above all, not to hit one on the roads, where they can then wander. In this case, it is advisable to notify the police. “In many cases, the animal does not recover due to fractures in the legs or rib cage. Often, animals die within twenty-four or forty-eight hours. Sometimes, it is therefore preferable to euthanize the animal, even if it is hard to say,” explains the specialist.