Himalayan Musk Deer (Moschus leucogasterr)

According to a recent report, no breeding programme has been started in Indian zoos for the conservation of musk deer, classified as ‘endangered’ by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) and protected under the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972.

• The musk deer is still plagued by poaching for the sake of perfume and medicines which are more valuable than gold. Apart from this, the problem of genetic purity has also arisen due to misidentification of wildlife.

About Himalayan Musk Deer

• The white-bellied musk deer or The Himalayan Musk Deer (Moschus leucogasterr) is a small-sized deer species.
• It was previously considered a subspecies of the Alpine musk deer, but was separated on the basis of different skull proportions.
• Himalayan Musk Deer are generally solitary animals and are active mainly at dawn and dusk.
• The breeding season for Himalayan Musk Deer occurs between November and December, and females typically give birth to a single fawn in May or June.
• The primary threats to the Himalayan Musk Deer are habitat loss and fragmentation, poaching for its musk gland, and competition for resources with livestock. The white-bellied musk deer has a waxy substance called musk that the male secretes 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.
• 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.
• Himalayan musk deer occurs in parts of northern Afghanistan, Pakistan, Tibet, Nepal, Bhutan, and in northern India such as in Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Sikkim and Arunachal Pradesh.

(Sources: DoE)