Deer population in Japan's Nara Park hits record high amid overfeeding

NARA, Japan - The deer population in Nara Park, a tourist spot in western Japan, hit a fresh record high of 1,687, a preservation group said Thursday, with the birth rate increasing on the back of the animals being fed food other than sugar-free deer crackers.

According to the Nara Deer Preservation Foundation, more people are giving vegetables and leftovers to the deer, which have also been spotted in private vegetable gardens outside the park, damaging the harvest.