AN AMAZING video has captured a herd of wild red deer elegantly leaping over a fence in the Highlands.
Alister Kemp, an amateur nature photographer from Evanton, near Inverness, filmed the gorgeous animals bounding over the small wire fence earlier this week.
The short clip shows a herd of magnificent red stags jumping over the obstacle in the rural Strath of Kildonan, Sutherland.
Seven animals in total are filmed clearing the fence and making their way across a narrow remote road.
The rural area north of Helmsdale is famed for it’s sporting activities, with deer stalking and grouse shooting on offer throughout autumn and winter.
Mr Kemp said he chose to film the stags instead of photographing them as the light was so poor.
He said: “My main focus is capturing our amazing wildlife in its natural environment.
“I was returning from a photography trip in another area when I spotted these deer and I filmed them as the light was fading, so no good for photography.
“I filmed it from the roadside in the Strath of Kildonan which is north of Helmsdale in Sutherland.”
The Highland photographer added that he had seen thousands of stags that day.
Mr Kemp said:”It is not unusual to spot Red Deer in that area, especially late afternoon or evening in the winter months.
“It is normal to see them together. I must have seen over a thousand stags whilst out and about.”
Red deer stags are the largest wild land-mammal in the UK, standing 107-137cm (3.5ft to 4.5ft) at the shoulder and weighing 90-190kg (14st – 30st).
Adult females (hinds) reach a height of 107-122cm (3.5ft to 4ft) at the shoulder and weigh 63-120kg (10st – 18st).
The stalking season for red stags runs from 1 July to 20 October and the hind season from 21 October to 15 February.
The Strath of Kildonan was also the famous site of the 1869 gold rush in the area, after a local newspaper made the announcement in 1868.
