Last week in Kenting, a motorcyclist collided with a Formosan sika deer, resulting in the death of both the rider and the deer.
Shortly after, another incident occurred in the same area where a motorcyclist was knocked down and injured by a deer running into the road.
Unexpectedly, in the early morning of the fifth day, another close encounter between a Formosan sika deer and two vehicles happened, with the entire incident recorded on a car’s dashcam.
This Sika deer lost life during the accident, and same happened to motorcycle driver
Fortunately, no accidents occurred, but residents believe that the presence of Formosan sika deer has severely impacted road safety.
They hope that more robust fencing can be installed around the road to separate humans and deer. The Kenting National Park Management Office (referred to as the Kenting Management Office) emphasizes that plans have already been made for this.
In the new video published by Formosan News Network, we can see several Formosan sika deer stand boldly in the middle of the road, causing passing vehicles to yield and be cautious, fearing a collision with the deer.
However, during the evening, when visibility is poor, unexpected incidents of deer charging occur.
Several Formosan sika deer stand boldly in the middle of the road in Kenting
In areas where Formosan sika deer frequently appear, such as Sheding, Longluantan, and Longpan, Kenting National Park has placed multiple warning signs to remind drivers to slow down. However, despite these efforts, several accidents still occur each year.
Following the tragic incident last week involving a Formosan sika deer and a young motorcyclist who lost their lives, two more incidents have occurred where Formosan sika deer suddenly dashed onto the road at night, posing a threat to traffic safety.
This situation has dramatically concerned the residents of Sheding and Kenting, as they fear becoming the next unfortunate victims of collisions with deer.
This resident said:
I believe that the population of Formosan sika deer has multiplied excessively.
Another resident in Kenting agreed, that Sika Deers are now becoming a problem
The public is really suffering. Um, I feel like there are too many deer on the roads lately, especially here. Just a few days ago, I was driving down from the mountains and collided with a Formosan sika deer.
Father of Mr Hsieh, who died from a collision with Sika deer earlier this month.
The Father of Mr. Hsieh, who died from a collision with Sika deer earlier this month, said in the interview with Formosan News channel that: “It really hurts and endangers public safety a lot.”
He then said: “There are so many Sika Deer now coming out time after time. We do not know when they will go out. This time deer hit my son, not my son hit the deer. I am asking the Kenting National Park administration to pay attention to this matter.
Secretary of Reclamation Management Office of Kenting National Park Tseng Tianding said that:
“We will install street lights in the accident-prone sections to improve illumination.
We will also collaborate with relevant agencies and consult with experts to conduct surveys.
Fourth, we will set up fences at road sections or intersections where Formosan sika deer are more likely to appear due to the terrain conditions, covering approximately 350 meters.
We hope this can reduce the chances of Formosan sika deer running onto the road.”
Formosan Sika Deer
Although the management agency advises the public to apply for compensation in case of accidental collisions with Formosan sika deer, the approval process is complicated.
In recent years, the population of Formosan sika deer has remained high, leading to frequent conflicts with humans and becoming a hidden concern for local traffic safety.
Liu Qinming 劉琴鳴, Kenting village chief, expressed that the wild Formosan sika deer population is concentrated in SheDing’s surrounding mountains.
Without proper separation from the roads, preventing them from continuously running onto the road and causing harm is difficult.
He also suggests installing road fencing to prevent Formosan sika deer from crossing the road.
