Just recently, in a few days, I published 2 posts about accidents with Sika Deers in Kenting – and guess what, there is again news out about deers colliding with drivers again!
In the early hours of June 6th, a fatal accident occurred on the road of Sheding Park in Kenting, Pingtung.
A motorcyclist collided with a Formosan sika deer that suddenly dashed onto the road, resulting in the death of both the rider and the deer.
Shortly after, another incident occurred in the same area where a deer knocked down and injured a rider.
This follows an incident earlier this year, when a car hit the deer.
In the late hours of yesterday, a resident’s dashboard camera recorded a thrilling video of a close call between two cars and a Formosan sika deer that dashed across the road. Due to the frequent occurrences of such incidents, residents are deeply concerned.
Liu Qinming 劉琴鳴, the chief of Kenting Village, suggested installing fences along that stretch of road to prevent deer from crossing.
The Kenting National Park Management Office stated that they have planned to install soft barrier nets in areas frequented by deer to prevent such incidents.
The Kenting National Park Management Office initiated the Formosan sika deer conservation program in 1984, and the population of wild Formosan sika deer has been continuously increasing. Currently, the estimated population is between 1,500 and 2,000. With the growing population, the management office has placed multiple warning signs in areas where deer frequently cross roads, such as Sheding, Longluantan, and Longpan, to remind drivers to reduce speed. However, accidents still occur every year.
Formosan Sika Deer
On the night of the 6th, a 20-year-old motorcyclist, Hsieh, collided with a deer on Park Road, resulting in both deaths.
In the following days, two more incidents involving Formosan sika deer suddenly running across the road in the dark occurred in the same area. Residents are concerned that they might be the next unlucky victims of deer collisions.
Residents are concerned that they might be the next unlucky victims of deer collisions.
“To ensure everyone’s safety, we need to separate the road from the deer habitat effectively!” said Liu Qinming, the village chief of Kenting.
Formosan sika deer usually cross the road at night. The Park Road connecting Sheding Tribe and Kenting Avenue used to lack streetlights, making it dark and dangerous for vehicles traveling at high speeds, posing risks to both humans and vehicles.
Although the management office has installed three additional streetlights in the hotspots, the density of Formosan sika deer in the surrounding mountains of Sheding is high.
Without proper separation from the road, it is difficult to prevent deer from crossing. Residents do not want to face the threat of unexpected collisions when returning home late at night, and they also want to protect the deer from harm. Setting up barriers will create a win-win situation.
This Formosan Sika deer died in the collision with Hsieh, who also lost life during the accident
Hsu Shu-guo 許書國, Deputy Director of the Kenting National Park Management Office, stated that they will coordinate with relevant units, village chiefs, and experts from the Forest Research Institute to conduct on-site inspections.
Soft barrier nets made of flexible materials will be installed at road sections or intersections where Formosan sika deer are more likely to appear. The estimated length of the barriers is 350 meters, which will reduce the chances of deer crossing the road.
If individuals experience collisions with Formosan sika deer within the park, causing damage, they can apply for compensation through public liability insurance.
To do so, they need to provide evidence such as the police report, relevant records or images, identification documents, driver’s license, vehicle registration, and details of the damage.
The compensation coverage allows a maximum of 6 million NT dollars for bodily injuries per person and 5 million NT dollars for property damage.