BUFFALO, N.Y. (WKBW) — This time of year it's not uncommon to see Dasher, Dancer, Prancer or Vixen decorations hanging out on city front lawns, but what about a real-life deer?
Just in time for the holidays, dozens of deer have seemingly made their way into North Buffalo.
"It's just surprising to see that," says Cindy Marinaro, who lives on Norwalk Avenue.
Marinaro tells 7 News that daily deer sightings in North Buffalo have become commonplace.
"Totally lounging around, very comfortable in people's lawns. I don't think they have any sense of danger, which is good. We don't want them to feel that way," says Marinaro.
Marinaro says her new furry neighbors have only recently moved in. The deer are making for popular posts on social media. Someone even set up a handmade "deer crossing" sign on Starin Avenue near Rachel Vincent Way.
"It's normal," says Leondra Scherer, a New York State licensed wildlife rehabilitator and founder of Fuzzy Fawn Wildlife Rescue, a non-profit specializing in whitetail deer.
"Deer have a different pattern that they do," says Scherer. "They travel differently in the winter than they do in the spring and summer. You'll see more bucks coming out in the winter, they tend to always go back to where they found the best food source the winter before."
One North Buffalo resident who shared messages with 7 News pointed to recent development in North Buffalo as the reason for the deer moving in, Scherer says while that could play a role, she believes the uptick in deer sightings speaks to a much larger issue.
"Our biggest problem, we do have a population problem," says Scherer. "Every suburb, every city, we have no predators. We have a few coyotes that wander through, but not enough to do anything. Our biggest predator is a car, unfortunately, that causes more harm to us, than you know, the deer."
So what do you do if deer visit you?
Scherer says as cute as they may be, don't feed them, and keep a safe distance away.
"I would just say, watch from afar, enjoy how beautiful they are, but don't interact with them."
