Singapore photographer spots nocturnal sambar deer family in the morning for the 1st time on 1 March
“I’m completely at a loss for words to express my happiness,” a photographer said after coming upon a family of sambar deer one morning in Singapore, by pure good fortune.
The deer headed off into the forest as the sun rose, leaving the overjoyed wildlife enthusiast comparing it to a safari encounter.
Source: Prashanta Kumar Mohanty on Facebook
Sambar deer spots photographer in the distance
45-year-old Prashanta Kumar Mohanty, an IT professional and wildlife photography hobbyist, told MS News that he encountered the deer in the Central Catchment Area. He chose not to disclose the exact location to protect the wildlife.
He explained that he had previously come across the deer in the area at night, as they are mostly nocturnal animals.
Mr Prashanta thus decided to try his luck during the day, completely unsure if he would even see them.
Source: Prashanta Kumar Mohanty on Facebook
Fortune ended up smiling upon him, as at 7am on 1 March, Mr Prashanta saw a family of around six deer moving across the grass, including two males.
They munched on plants as they walked towards the forest. A mynah even hitched a ride on the back of one of the deer.
Source: Prashanta Kumar Mohanty on Facebook
Mr Prashanta told MS News that he was standing still at a considerable distance from the sambar deer, so as not to disturb them.
“But as soon as I took my left hand to the lens to zoom in, the male deer sensed something faraway and looked towards me,” he said, calling their senses “amazing”.
Source: Prashanta Kumar Mohanty on Facebook
As the day got brighter with the rising sun, the deer family quietly disappeared into the forest.
First sighting of sambar deer in the morning for photographer
Mr Prashanta explained that this was his first time ever seeing sambar deer in the early morning.
“It’s no less of an experience than seeing something in a wildlife safari,” he told MS News, adding on social media that it was one of the “best mornings ever”.
The sight of wildlife thriving in urban Singapore also made Mr Prashanta firmer on the importance of protecting and conserving them.
Source: Prashanta Kumar Mohanty on Facebook
Sambar deer had previously gone extinct in Singapore before being reintroduced in the 1970s from those that escaped from zoos.
Their population in Singapore remains low but is slowly increasing.
Also read: S’pore photographer spots male sambar deer for the first time, laments recent fatal road accidents
S’pore photographer spots male sambar deer for the first time, laments recent fatal road accidents
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Featured image adapted from Prashanta Kumar Mohanty on Facebook.
