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General Information
Classified under the family of Tragulidae, mouse deers are chevrotains -a primitive and sole surviving group of ungulates which existed in the Old world tropical forests 38 million years ago. Today, its distribution is restricted to jungles of Africa and Southeast Asia. They are the smallest of rumminants . The males, instead of horns, have a set of elongated upper canines or tusks which protrude from the sides of the mouth like fangs.
Greater Mouse deers weigh between 3.5 to 4.5 kg and stand under 35cm in shoulder height. Their pelt color is pale brown with indistinct dark flecking with 2 white stripes on the neck.
The Lesser Mouse deers weigh from 2 to 2.5 kg -making them the smallest ruminants. Their pelt is plain reddish brown or brown with white stripes running down the throat .
Habitat
They dwell in dense secondary tropical forests. Greater Mousedeers are native to Southeast Asia while Lesser mouse deers occur in south China as well. Solitary,shy and extremely territorial by nature, Mouse deers regularly mark their territories with urine, feces, and secretions from an intermandibular gland under the chin.
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Feeding and Breeding
They survive on leaf shoots, buds, fallen fruit and fungi. Malay mousedeer have the potential to be constantly pregnant throughout their adult life, being able to conceive within 2 days after giving birth. Gestation period for the greater mousedeer is 155 days whereas it's lesser relative gestates for 140 days. Only one young is born and it is fully developed, and can stand within 30 minutes of birth. Mothers nurse their young while standing on three legs.
Conservation
The Malay mousedeer is recognized as a common species by the IUCN (1996) but is threatened by loss of habitation, habitat fragmentation and being hunted as a delicacy. In Singapore however, Mousedeers are classified as an endangered species
Interesting Facts
The Malay mousedeer appears in Malay folklore as an intelligent animal which often outsmarts it's predators such as the tiger and the crocodile. It is part of the state emblem of Malacca. Mousedeers may form monogamous pairs for life but they tend to be solitary most of the time.
Bibliography
1. The Encyclopedia of Mammals edited Dr David Macdonald
2. Grzimek's Encyclopedia of Mammals.
3. Walker's Mammals of the World (Fifth Edition).
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