A 54-year-old man was last week attacked by a wild sambar on Changhua County’s Baquashan (八卦山), leaving two of his ribs fractured, while locals said that the animals have been spotted in populated areas across the county.
The man, surnamed Yeh (葉), said that he started hiking along a trail at 6:30pm on Wednesday last week and, while on his way back at about 7:20pm, encountered a pair of wild sambars heading in the opposite direction.
Petrified, he was unable to move, and the bigger deer, which was walking behind the smaller one, suddenly sped up, knocking him over and trampling him, Yeh said in and interview on Saturday.
Photo: Yen Hung-chun, Taipei Times
When the big deer seemed to be leaving, he tried to stand up, but the animal returned and attacked him repeatedly, he said, adding that he finally escaped by hiding behind the railings along the path.
He came down off the mountain and called an ambulance, which took him to the county’s Yuanlin Christian Hospital.
Parts of Yeh’s body were grazed and a wound to his head required stitches, a doctor said, adding that he was hospitalized for one night.
Yeh reported the case to the police, he said, adding that he hopes the government tackles the wild sambar problem to prevent more people from being hurt.
Sambar are usually mild-mannered, but can become aggressive when a male is in heat or when a female has a fawn to protect, said Liao Pin-hsing (廖彬興), who manages a deer pasture in the county’s Erlin Township (二林).
The female sambar might have attacked Yeh because of its maternal instincts, Liao added.
Apart from Baquashan, residents have also spotted sambars in other areas in the county, such as a marketplace in Shetou Township (社頭).
More than 10 residents have seen sambars grazing in Tianjhong Township’s (田中) Fusing Community (復興), usually at night, and most walk away upon seeing humans, community development association head Wu Hsing-ju (吳幸茹) said.
Changhua Animal Disease Control Center Director Tung Meng-chih (董孟治) said that people should avoid wild sambars if they come across them.
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