WATCH: Deer deluge stops runners in their tracks in Mumbai

A lifetime’s worth of wildlife encounters came all at once for runners in Mumbai this week, as the sight of a seemingly endless stream of deer crossed their path and stopped them in their tracks.

Susanta Nanda, an officer with the Indian Forest Service, shared footage captured at Borivali’s Sanjay Gandhi National Park in the north of the coastal Indian city.

As usual, Mumbaikars are in a hurry☺️☺️

This splendid sight greeted morning walkers at Borivali National Park in Mumbai.Count if you can. pic.twitter.com/fTHsdV8WOV

— Susanta Nanda (@susantananda3) July 26, 2023

The video shows shocked runners and walkers at a standstill as a giant herd of deer darted across one of the park’s paths. Given the sheer volume of hooved park-dwellers springing from the sidelines, you’d be forgiven for mistaking the 59-second video clip for a looped animated GIF. But each of the animals shown in the video is indeed unique, with no repeats.

Not only was no one hurt in the onrush, but the deer seemed to have picked a particularly thoughtful spot to cross—right at a speedbump on the path, lessening the chance of a cyclist or other vehicle-mounted parkgoer getting too close an encounter with the deer.

4 times runners encountered unexpected wildlife

While surely a startling sight for those at the scene, the encounter seems to make for a much more calming and peaceful viewing experience in hindsight. Bol News, one of the Indian media outlets fanning the spread of the viral video, suggests, “the delightful scene of countless deer joyfully moving alongside the joggers might even give you the perfect serotonin boost to start your day!”