The next time you find yourself travelling on the Bukit Timah Expressway (BKE), you might want to keep your eyes peeled for a very, very special sight.
Last Friday (Nov 29), while driving along the BKE, a man noticed a herd of sambar deer grazing on the side of the road.
In a video he shared online, a male deer is first seen walking close to the edge of the road. It caught sight of the man’s vehicle, and hopped over the road barrier to join two of its friends.
The man slowed his vehicle and stopped at the road shoulder to capture a better view of the uncommon sighting. He also took the opportunity to warn other drivers to be careful when driving along the same area, so as to avoid hitting the deers.
The clip has since gone viral online, with many spreading the message to drivers to remain alert when driving around the area in Mandai.
Netizens were amazed by the sight, with some joking that the deers are a sign that “Santa Claus has arrived in town”.
If you didn’t know, the sambar deer is marked as a vulnerable species on the International Union for Conservation of Nature’s Red List of Threatened Species, which basically means that it’s highly endangered.
It is known for its large stature, and is mostly active at night.
Earlier this year, in January, a herd of the same species were also spotted grazing on the grass near the BKE.
Three years ago, a study by NParks approximated that there were around 15 wild sambar deer left in Singapore.
Here’s the good news — the sambar deer has since been reported to have grown in number in Singapore’s forested areas.
Guess Christmas really came early for the man.
Photos: mohamat.haron.moh/Tiktok