Whether the Colossus ever existed or not, these days, Mandraki harbour entrance is guarded by two sculptures of Rhodian Deer, a stag and a doe on either side atop of slim, elegant columns, surely one of the most endearing images of this photogenic harbour.
The significance of the deer is as follows; in classical times Rhodes island was said to be overrun with snakes, many of them poisonous. The non-indigenous deer were introduced to the island to combat the reptiles, but it’s unclear as to how they actually performed their role. Some say the snakes were trampled to death, others mention that the deer actually ate the snakes, they impaled them on their antlers or repelled them with the odour of their urine whilst a more believable option is the one that suggests the snakes were poisoned by consuming deer droppings. Whichever (if any) is true, the deer were certainly effective as the island’s snake population is now diminished and they present no real threat to humans.
All-in-all, the Rhodian deer have led a chequered past; it is said they all died out shortly after dispatching the snake population and as such, were re-introduced by the Knights of St John in medieval times. This allowed the deer to flourish but during the Ottoman rule of the island, they were hunted to extinction and none remained until the Italians re-introduced them again in the 1930s.
Today, there is still a small colony of Rhodian deer residing in a protected environment within Rhodini Park. Up until the mid nineties, many roamed freely amongst the moats and ruins of the Old Town. Several were however killed by feral dogs in 1994 and a decision had to be taken to protect the remaining animals.
Initial suggestions favoured relocating the deer to the undeveloped south coast of the island but it was feared that poachers would quickly account for the thirty or so remaining animals. Eventually, it was agreed that the deer would be permanently re-homed at Rhodini Park in the city, where they continue to thrive today.