Less than a month after a sambar deer was spotted sprinting across Mandai Road, the rare species in Singapore made the news again, but this time with tragic headlines. Apparently, one sambar deer was the victim of a hit-and-run accident along Mandai Road on Saturday evening, and it died soon after from its injuries.
Eyewitness Muhammad Iqbal Zainudin, who was driving to work along the stretch, spotted the creature struggling in a pool of blood in the middle of the road. There was metal debris in the vicinity, but no car in sight, so he stopped his vehicle and used a torchlight to direct traffic away from the animal, he told The Straits Times.
The deer subsequently succumbed to its injuries on a grass patch next to the road, and Iqbal’s photos and video of the animal eventually went viral on Facebook.
After he notified the Animal Concerns Research & Education Society (Acres) of the situation, two rescue officers arrived at the scene in 15 minutes, followed by Traffic Police officers who helped to direct traffic flow.
The deer carcass was recovered by Wildlife Reserves Singapore to be examined.
In response to this, the Agri-Food & Veterinary Authority of Singapore said that motorists should slow down when they spot wildlife on the roads. The authority also explained that signages have been placed in areas where wildlife are commonly sighted to alert drivers of possible wildlife crossings.
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