An investigation has been launched after the decapitated head of a deer was found on top of a bucket close to a five-star hotel.
The Scottish SPCA became aware of the incident only days after launching an inquiry into the mutilation and dumping of three deer at a popular dog-walking spot.
A dog walker made the grim discovery near the Marcliffe Hotel in the Pitfodels area of Aberdeen at about 3.30pm on May 4 this year.
Hotel guest Caroline Burnett and her friend had taken her dog for a walk in the woods behind the Marcliffe, and spotted an object sitting on top of a bin.
When they got closer, they realised it was the head of a roe deer – but there were no signs of the rest of the carcass.
The other incident being investigated by the SPCA took place in Ellon last week. Two female roe deer were found shot and ditched in black bags in a car park on Golf Road in the north-east town.
One of the animals had a broken neck, and the other had been decapitated – with its uterus sliced open to expose its fawn.
The severed head could not be found.
Ms Burnett said: “We went out of the back of the Marcliffe to take the dog for a walk, and just outside the boundaries there’s a bin – and something was on top of it.
“From a distance, we couldn’t tell what it was, but when we got closer we saw this decapitated deer’s head.
“We were just in shock, and stood there in silence for a while.
“When we came back from walking the dog, we told the receptionist and one of the guys there came out and was pretty horrified as well.”
Ms Burnett said that although she made the gruesome discovery two weeks ago, she only contacted the Scottish SPCA this week after reading about the charity’s investigation into the deer mutilation in Ellon.
She added: “I think it’s very unusual to have two of these horrible incidents in a short amount of time.
“There’s a chance this might not be a coincidence.”
Scottish SPCA Chief Inspector John Carle said: “We have been alerted to a deer head found in the Pitfodels area of Aberdeen.
“Our inquiries are currently ongoing.”
Anyone with information about the incident should call the charity on 03000 999 999.