News: Recently, Rare Indian mouse deer photographed at Tungareshwar Wildlife Sanctuary.
About Indian Mouse Deer
- The Indian Spotted Chevrotain, commonly called the Indian Mouse Deer, is a tiny, secretive ungulate belonging to the family Tragulidae.
- Scientific name: Moschiola indica
- It is the smallest deer species found in India.
- They are living representatives of one of the oldest ruminant lineages.
- Habitat: They typically inhabiting semi-evergreen, moist evergreen, and tropical deciduous forests. These animals can also be found in cultivated areas such as gardens and plantations.
- Distribution: They are found mainly in the dense forests of India and Sri Lanka, and possibly southern Nepal.
- Within India, they inhabit the Western Ghats and Eastern Ghats and in the forests of central India.
- The Indian Spotted Chevrotain is one of ten extant species of mouse deer scattered across Southeast Asia and parts of Africa.
- Features:
- Size: The Indian Spotted Chevrotain is remarkably small, typically 50–60 cm long and weighing 3–4 kg.
- Appearance: Its dull brown coat is marked with three to four white stripes and small white spots along the flanks, providing excellent camouflage against the forest floor’s dappled light.
- Unlike true deer, male mouse deer lack antlers. Instead, they have elongated upper canines that function like tusks for defense and competition during mating.
- Unlike most ruminants that have a four-chambered stomach, the Indian Mouse Deer possesses three stomach chambers, reflecting a less specialized digestive system.
- Feeding Habits: Primarily nocturnal foragers, Indian Mouse Deer feed on fruits, leaves, roots, and herbs, occasionally consuming insects, crustaceans, and small vertebrates.
- Behavior: It is a solitary, nocturnal and extremely shy animal.
- Communication: Males use scent from specialized maxillary glands to mark territories and attract mates, particularly during breeding periods. This olfactory communication is essential for reproduction and territorial maintenance.
- Ecological Importance: The Indian Mouse Deer plays a key ecological role as a seed disperser, aiding in forest regeneration by spreading seeds from the fruits it consumes.
- Conservation status: ‘Least Concern’ under the IUCN Red List.
