As the endangered species slowly re-establishes its population in Singapore, spotting a sambar deer in the wild can be an exhilarating experience.
This rang even more true for wildlife photographer Lee (@leehcn.wildlife on Instagram), who recently spotted his first male sambar deer in the wild.
Source: Lee via Singapore Wildlife Sightings on Facebook
“He was the only male in the herd, keeping watch against any potential threats,” said Lee in a post in the Singapore Wildlife Sightings Facebook group on Wednesday (10 Sept).
Despite his excitement, however, he could not help but lament the number of fatal road accidents involving sambar deer over the past few months, adding:
We need to do better.
Speaking to MS News, Lee said the majestic sight was caught late at night along the roadside, somewhere in the Central Catchment Nature Reserve (CCNR).
He shared that he had seen sambar deer several times while driving home, so he already knew there was a resident herd in the area.
However, he had been hoping to spot a male for months, as he had never seen one before.
That evening, he initially saw only a couple of females grazing in the field.
Image courtesy of Lee
Just as he was ready to move on, he spotted the elusive antlers peeking from behind one of the does.
“It was an exciting experience getting to finally see one in person,” he enthused.
He added that it was hard to tell how large the animal was due to the distance, but he estimated that it was a full-grown stag of about 1.5m tall.
Following the rare sighting, Lee said he hoped the authorities would take more measures to protect wildlife.
He recognised the National Parks Board’s (NParks’) efforts in putting up barriers around the CCNR, especially near expressways, to keep the animals off the roads.
“But I do think more effort can be made to make the public aware of hotspots for animal crossings,” Lee noted, adding:
Additionally, imposing stricter speed restrictions on these areas could help allow drivers to have the necessary reaction time in the event of an animal crossing.
Lee said he has travelled to national parks in the United States, Canada and Australia, where they have clear signs put up in areas where wildlife usually cross.
That said, interactions between wildlife and roads are inevitable and “cannot be 100% eliminated”, he conceded.
Thus, the public needs to play a part by being aware that these animals exist and watching out for them when driving, he said.
Also read: Sambar deer euthanised after suffering severe injuries in accident with car on Mandai Road
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Featured image courtesy of Lee.
Article by Kim Tan and Ethan Oh.