Four barking deer killed by concrete 'death trap' on Lantau

Four native barking deer have been killed within the space of six weeks by what animal rights activists have dubbed an animal "death trap" on southern Lantau Island.

They urged water and conservation officials to take immediate action to prevent more accidents.

The first two deer were found dead in a Water Supplies Department catchwater between Tong Fuk and Shek Pik in mid-April. A pregnant doe was rescued nearby last Monday but was severely injured and had to be put down.

The founder of Protection of Animals Lantau South, Jacqueline Green, believed that both deer had stumbled into the concrete-lined catchwater in search of water during the dry April before getting trapped in the culvert and starving to death.

The pregnant doe had tried to clamber up the walls of the watercourse and torn the skin off its hooves, causing deep lacerations to the bone.

"We've lost cows, calves, dogs and even people slip into the culvert occasionally," said Green. "We consider this to be a major problem but the government departments don't seem to. We are very, very upset about this."