Indian Mouse Deer
Why in news?
A rare Indian mouse deer was recently photographed at Tungareshwar Wildlife Sanctuary in Vasai.
About Indian Mouse Deer
- Scientific Name: Moschiola indica.
- It is the smallest deer species in India, standing about 25-30 cm at shoulder height and weighing 2-4 kg.
- Fur is dark brown with white underparts and has rows of white spots on the back.
- It is an even-toed ungulate, part of the family Tragulidae, evolutionary linking deer and pigs.
- Native and endemic to the Indian Subcontinent, especially peninsular India including Western and Eastern Ghats, central Indian forests, and some old records from Nepal.
- Diet primarily herbivorous: tender leaves, fungi, fruits, roots, and occasionally insects, crustaceans, and small animals.
- Has a unique three-chambered stomach (unlike the typical four-chambered ruminants).
- Conservation status: Least Concern but threatened by habitat loss and human disturbance.
