Sambar deer stand in middle of road in Woodlands, sparks concerns from animal lovers
An animal lover came across some sambar deer in the middle of the road in Woodlands early morning yesterday (25 May).
The OP, who wished to be referred to as @sino74, said he came across the deer at around 3am along Woodlands Road towards Yew Tee Flyover.
He initially thought they were large dogs like a Doberman, but realised they were sambar deer once he had driven closer.
Source: @sino74 on Facebook
Captivated, the OP stopped his car at the nearby After Yew Tee Flyover bus stop and took a video of them.
His footage showed three deer in total, one grazing at the roadside and two standing right in the middle of the road.
Source: @sino74 on Facebook
Speaking to MS News, he said he was “overwhelmed and delighted” at the unexpected sighting.
He said that while there have been a number of sightings of deer on the road, they are usually spotted along the Bukit Timah Expressway (BKE) or Seletar Expressway (SLE) around Mandai.
Deer spooked off road by truck honking
The OP also expressed concern for the animals as he watched one of them walk in the middle of the road.
Although there was little traffic at that hour, the vehicles that did pass by drove at high speeds.
Source: @sino74 on Facebook
In the video, a few cars on the other side of the road went by loudly, drawing little reaction from the deer.
After some time, the OP then noticed a tipper truck and a taxi coming down the road where the deer had stood. The animals did not appear to look in that direction.
Source: @sino74 on Facebook
Immediately worried for their safety, he flashed his headlights in an attempt to alert the motorists.
The truck driver noticed the deer and honked the horn several times, spooking them. They quickly rushed off the road and up a grassy slope.
Source: @sino74 on Facebook
According to the OP, the deer trio stayed grazing on the grass patch until he left. He stayed a total of almost 30 minutes to make sure they were safe.
Wildlife enthusiasts worried about road safety
Animal lovers in the Singapore Wildlife Sightings Facebook group lamented the fact that the sambar deer had shown up in an estate area.
One claimed that humans had destroyed their habitats, leaving them to find grazing elsewhere.
Source: Facebook
Another user suspected that they might have emerged from the nearby Mandai Forest, where sambar deer are known to live.
Source: Facebook
A netizen wished them safety from road traffic accidents, as cars had previously run over and even killed sambar deer on the roads before.
Source: Facebook
Speaking to MS News, the OP put out a warning, urging road users to stay alert of their surroundings, especially roads with less traffic after midnight.
“You never know what will appear in front of you!”
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Featured image adapted from @sino74 on Facebook.
