Himalayan musk deer

The Himalayan musk deer or white-bellied musk deer (Moschus leucogaster) is a deer that lives in Central Asia.

Like other musk deer, the Himalayan musk deer lives in the Himalayan mountains and places around those mountains. They are large plant-eating animals that can live in cold places.

Behavior

Himalayan musk deer are active at night and at dawn and dusk. They spend most of their time alone.

Himalayan musk deer all leave their feces in the same place. Scientists call this a latrine site. They do this to mark their territory, meaning to show other deer that a place belongs to them.

Scientists have seen them 3200–4200 meters above sea level. Scientists believe Himalayan musk deer like forests with a mixture of Himalayan birch and Himalayan fir trees. They like places with many different kinds of smaller plants.

Threats

Himalayan musk deer are in danger of dying out because human beings trap them for their fur and their musk pods. People use musk pods to make perfumes and in traditional medicines. When people set traps for male musk deer, they trap and kill female musk deer and fawns too. In the 21st century, one kilogram of musk pod can pay US$45,000.

References

Category:Deer
Category:Mammals of Asia