A touching video featuring a charming interaction between a deer and an Indian tourist in Nara, Japan, has gone viral online. The clip, shared by Divya, a digital content creator, captures a deer bowing back to her in response to her gesture. Since its posting on Instagram, the video has garnered over 17.8 million views, with thousands of viewers expressing their admiration for this delightful moment.
In the video, the content creator approaches one of the renowned deer in Nara and gently bows to greet it. To her surprise, the deer mirrors her bow, perfectly replicating her gesture. As she continues to bow, the deer consistently follows her lead, showcasing a polite and almost human-like gesture. This charming scene takes place in the tranquil Nara park, famous for its friendly and interactive deer.
The video also features other tourists trying to engage with the deer in a similar manner, with the animals responding by bowing back to them, which further emphasises their charming nature.
Divya's post highlights the intriguing behavior of the deer, accompanied by her insightful caption. She wrote, “Japan’s Nara deer are the coolest thing! While people say it’s in the DNA of the Nara deer to bow, I see the science of why. They bow because they know the simple old trick that they will be fed. They think of it as dogs! I saw the deer in Miyajima and this behaviour wasn’t spotted,” she added.
The video quickly gained popularity online, prompting a flood of comments from users sharing their thoughts and reactions. One user expressed delight at the deer's manners, stating, “This is the most polite deer I have ever seen. Such a lovely moment!” Another remarked, “It’s amazing how they understand what the bowing means. Nature never ceases to amaze me.” A third user humorously added, “I wish my dog could learn this trick too!” A fourth commenter noted, “The way they respond is so sweet; it’s like they are truly aware of what’s going on.”
Others were quick to highlight the link between the deer's bowing and their hunger, with one user commenting, “I wonder how long it took them to realize that bowing gets them food.” Another user expressed appreciation for the treatment of the deer in Nara, stating, “I love that they’re treated with such respect. It’s wonderful to witness this beautiful interaction.”
