Sambar deer dies, 1 person sent to hospital, after accident at Mandai involving delivery truck & m'cycle

A multi-vehicle accident involving a delivery truck, motorbike and a sambar deer occurred along Mandai Road during the wee hours of the morning on Dec. 2.

In response to queries from Mothership, the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) and police confirmed that they were alerted to a road traffic accident along Mandai Road at 6:40am.

A 66-year-old male motorcyclist was conveyed conscious to Woodlands Health, and police investigations are ongoing.

The accident also killed the sambar deer, shared the person behind the Love Sambar Facebook group.

The page also shared photos of the aftermath, including a photo of the deer lying on the road with blood around it.

Photo from Love Sambar/Facebook

In response to Mothership's queries, the National Parks Board (NParks) said the deer was found dead when an NParks team arrived on site, and that its carcass has since been cleared.

How the accident occurred

The administrator behind the Love Sambar page shared that they were notified of the accident at around 6:50am by a member of public who was heading to work.

According to Love Sambar, the male sambar deer was "attempting to cross the road" towards the forested area near Seletar Reservoir when it was hit by a delivery truck.

It was then hit a second time by a motorbike.

In response to some commenters, Love Sambar shared that both the driver and motorist stayed on to assist investigations, and "did their best" to help the deer.

While it is unknown just how fast the vehicles were moving at when they hit the deer, the speed limit at that stretch of road 70km/hour.

This is "enough to kill or seriously injure any animal on impact, especially a 150kg deer," added Love Sambar in a comment.

Second sambar deer death at the same spot

This is the second time a sambar deer was killed by a vehicle along Mandai Road this year.

The first incident, which occurred on Jul. 14 earlier this year, happened closer to the Mandai Bus Depot junction.

Both deers killed were male, wrote the person in charge of the Love Sambar Facebook page.

"Most often or not, it's always the males that are very reckless," shared the page, noting that roadkill records for sambar deers from 2022 to 2024 have all been male. 

Public advised to drive with caution near forested areas: NParks

NParks advised motorists to "drive within speed limits and be alert to animals crossing when driving along roads flanked by forested areas, especially where there are signs to indicate animal crossings."

Members of the public are also reminded not to handle injured wild animals on their own.

If you encounter an injured wild animal, you can contact the NParks' 24-hour Animal Response Centre at 1800-476-1600 or contact them at www.avs.gov.sg/feedback.

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Top image from Love Sambar/Singapore