Often active in the evening or at night, Sambar deer are rarely spotted in the middle of the day.

However the rare and elusive creature was spotted last Friday (Nov. 13), around 1.45pm along the Bukit Timah Expressway (BKE), according to a post by Facebook user Soca Indra Sukma.

Here's a photo of the deer which was uploaded to social media by Soca:

In the video uploaded by Soca in the same post, the deer is seen munching on some grass and plants.

It then seems to become aware that it is being watched and stares in the direction of the person taking the video.

Eventually, the deer runs off, as seen in this photo:

This is not the first time the deer have been spotted near roads or attempting to cross roads.

Less than 20 individuals left in Singapore

The Nature Society roughly estimated that there are fewer than 20 Sambar deer in Singapore.

According to the National Parks Board, the Sambar deer is one of the largest deer species in the world, after moose and elk.

Males can grow up to two metres tall including antlers, and weigh up to 260kg, while females are smaller in size.

Sambar deer can be found in dense rainforests and eat grasses, leafy foliage, fruit, water plants, shrubs and trees.

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Top images via Soca Indra Sukma/Facebook