Moschus leucogaster
| White-bellied musk deer | |
|---|---|
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Mammalia |
| Order: | Artiodactyla |
| Family: | Moschidae |
| Genus: | Moschus |
| Species: | M. leucogaster |
| Binomial name | |
|
Moschus leucogaster Hodgson, 1839 |
|
The White-bellied musk deer or Himalayan musk deer (Moschus leucogaster) is a musk deer species occurring in the Himalayas of Nepal, Bhutan, India, Pakistan and China. It is listed as endangered by the IUCN because of overexploitation resulting in a probable serious population decline.
It was previously considered a subspecies of the Alpine musk deer, but was separated on the basis of different skull proportions.
White-bellied musk deer are very well adapted for high altitudes; they demonstrate such adaptations as well-developed dew claws, broad toes that provide increased stability on steep slopes, and a dense coat of coarse hairs with air-filled cells to insulate against the extreme temperature. While they lack antlers, a trait notable among all musk deer, they do possess a pair of enlarged and easily broken canines that grow continuously. The maximum length of these tusks is about 10 cm (4 in). These deer have a stocky body type; their hind legs are also significantly longer and more muscular than their shorter, thinner forelimbs. In place of running or leaping, this species tends to "bound." Finally, fawns of this species have white spots to help with camouflage, but as they mature these spots disappear.
The white-bellied musk deer has a waxy substance called musk that the male secrets from a gland in the abdomen. The deer use this to mark territories and attract females, but the musk is also used in the manufacture of perfumes and medicines.
Himalayan musk deer are found in parts of northern Afghanistan, Pakistan, Tibet, Nepal, Bhutan, and in northern parts of India such as in (Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Sikkim and Arunachal Pradesh). They inhabit high alpine environments, with the lowest occurring at 2500 m above sea level. The species is endangered due to a high volume of illegal wildlife trade within its range.
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Wikipedia