A rare Indian mouse deer was recently photographed at Tungareshwar Wildlife Sanctuary in Vasai.
About Indian Mouse Deer:
The Indian Mouse Deer, or Indian Spotted Chevrotain, is a species of even-toed ungulate belonging to the family Tragulidae.
Scientific Name: Moschiola indica
It is the smallest deer species found in India and is known for its elusive and shy nature.
Distribution:
It is endemic to the Indian Subcontinent.
It is mainly found in peninsular India, with some old records from Nepal.
Sri Lanka has a separate species called the spotted chevrotain (Moschiola meminna).
Within India, it is commonly encountered in a number of forest areas along the Western Ghats, in the Eastern Ghats up to Orissa, and in the forests of central India.
Features:
It is small, 25-30 cm at shoulder height, and weighs from two to four kg.
The fur color is dark brown with white underparts.
There are four or five light rows of white spots on the back.
Males of this species have tusk-like upper canines.
A unique feature of this group is that instead of a four-chambered stomach like in other ruminants, they have a three-chambered stomach.
Diet: It forages on the forest floor for fruits, roots, leaves, and herbs. It has occasionally been observed eating insects, crustaceans, and even small mammals.
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