Wildlifeof Bhutan
Himalayan Musk-deer
Deer & Chevrotains
Photo: Steve Llewellyn · CC-BY (May be cropped or resized)
Moschus leucogaster
Basic stats
Diet
Leaves of trees and shrubs, preferring high protein and low fibre
Habitat
High alpine environments above 2,500m
Range
Eastern Himalayas of Nepal and India; possibly Bhutan
Litter size
One or two young
Size
Tusks up to about 10cm
The Himalayan or white-bellied musk deer was previously treated as a subspecies of the alpine musk deer but was separated on skull proportions. It is adapted to altitude with a dense coat of coarse, air-filled hairs for insulation, well-developed dew claws and broad toes for steady footing on steep slopes. It tends to bound rather than run, and fawns have white spots that fade with age (Wikipedia, general species account).
It lives above 2,500m in the eastern Himalayas. It has been confirmed by genetic data only in Nepal, but records from Sikkim and Bhutan likely represent this species, though they lack genetic confirmation. At night it comes out to feed in open habitats. Males secrete musk from an abdominal gland, and a female has one or two young at a time.
Quick answers
- What does the Himalayan Musk-deer eat?
- Leaves of trees and shrubs, preferring high protein and low fibre
- What habitat does the Himalayan Musk-deer live in?
- High alpine environments above 2,500m
- Where is the Himalayan Musk-deer found?
- Eastern Himalayas of Nepal and India; possibly Bhutan
- What is the litter size of the Himalayan Musk-deer?
- One or two young
- How big is the Himalayan Musk-deer?
- Tusks up to about 10cm