Resident spots not one but three rare sambar deer at Adam Drive

A resident spotted a small herd of sambar deer at Adam Drive on Dec 7.

Stomper Sebastian shared with Stomp photos of three deer he took when he was on his way home that night.

His father, Graham, told Stomp that they have only seen deer twice in the six years they have lived at Adam Drive.

However, this was the first time they had seen three sambar deer together.

"It is very rare to see this spectacle," Graham said.

"My son was amazed at the size of them and how relaxed they appeared to be.

"He often sees wild boards and the odd snake but this was a lucky and amazing encounter with wild animals in such a central location."

The Straits Times reported in March that sambar deer are making a comeback after several escaped from public and private local zoos in the 1970s.

Before that, the species was believed to have been wiped out in Singapore.

However, the population remains small.

The estimated number of deer in the wild increased from three to 15 between 1997 and 2021.

The animal is currently listed as a vulnerable species on the International Union for Conservation of Nature’s Red List of Threatened Species.