Flora and Fauna

Musk Deer

Musk Deer (Moschus chrysogaster) range across Central Asia, the Tibetan Plateau, and lower Himalayan slopes. Scientifically they are not “true deer” and are instead part of a more primitive family of animals that probably descends from the common deer’s ancestors. Musk Deer are unique in their appearance and most noted for their two small tusks that protrude downward in a fang-like manner. These fangs constantly grow but are fragile and often break. They lack antlers and are smaller than other deer, but because of their valuable musk-gland secretion are highly sought after.

Diet, Ecology & Behaviour

Himalayan Musk Deer are most active between the hours of dusk and dawn when they do most of their feeding. They can be found anywhere on the slopes between 2,200 and 4,300m and remain in the same areas year round without seasonally migrating. Their survival is often dependent on their ability to detect predators in advance and when they feel threatened they will often make large 6m jumps in various directions to confuse their predators. Because of their highly developed glands, they communicate with each other primarily through sense of smell. Their diet consists mostly of mosses, grasses, and lichens, and they are prey for martens, foxes, wolves, and lynxes.

Musk Glands

Musk Deer are renowned and hunted for the secretion of their musk glands, which is used to make luxury perfumes and medicines. The male musk deer possesses a gland between its genitalia and anus that will contains roughly 25 grams of a waxy glandular substance. A kilogram of Musk Deer secretion will fetch as much as $45,000 on the international market. Despite this fact, musk deer are not an endangered species and can easily be found across the Himalayas.

 

musk_deer

Musk Deer

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