Mammalia > Artiodactyla > Moschidae > Moschus
Moschus leucogaster Hodgson, 1839 – Himalayan Musk Deer
Taxonomic Notes:
Himalayan Musk Deer is also known as White-bellied Musk Deer. This was once considered as subspecies of Alpine Musk Deer (Moschus chrysogaster), but now treated as separate species.
This species is listed as Endangered in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species (https://www.iucnredlist.org/).
This species is listed as Endangered in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species (https://www.iucnredlist.org/).Moschus leucogaster – Himalayan Musk Deer
Juveniles:
Indian and global distribution:
records (based on images):
Identification:
Sexual, seasonal & individual variation:
Status, Habitat and Habits:
Himalayan Musk Deer is native to Himalayas. It occurs at the Himalayan foothills of India, Nepal, Bhutan, Pakistan Afghanistan and China. In India, it can be found in Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Sikkim and Arunachal Pradesh.
This is a very shy and secretive species. It feeds at night in open habitat and takes refuge to dense cover in the day time. It is primaily a browser than grazer (feeding more on tree and shrub leaves rather than grasses).
Conservation Status:
This species is listed as Endangered in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species (https://www.iucnredlist.org/).
According to IUCN Red List assessment, population of this species is decreasing all over its range. There are no estimates of its population available. Threat to its survival mainly come from Habitat fragmentation due to residential and commercial development, expansion of agriculture, logging, mining. Poaching for musk and skin has caused a serious decline its population historically, and it continues to do so.
Himalayan Musk Deer is native to Himalayas. It occurs at the Himalayan foothills of India, Nepal, Bhutan, Pakistan Afghanistan and China. In India, it can be found in Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Sikkim and Arunachal Pradesh.
This is a very shy and secretive species. It feeds at night in open habitat and takes refuge to dense cover in the day time. It is primaily a browser than grazer (feeding more on tree and shrub leaves rather than grasses).
Conservation Status:
This species is listed as Endangered in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species (https://www.iucnredlist.org/).According to IUCN Red List assessment, population of this species is decreasing all over its range. There are no estimates of its population available. Threat to its survival mainly come from Habitat fragmentation due to residential and commercial development, expansion of agriculture, logging, mining. Poaching for musk and skin has caused a serious decline its population historically, and it continues to do so.
References:
Mammalia > Artiodactyla > Moschidae > Moschus
Cite this page along with its URL as:
Bayani, A. 2021. Moschus leucogaster Hodgson, 1839 – Himalayan Musk Deer. Ramachandran, V., A. Bayani, R. Chakravarty, P. Roy, and K. Kunte (editors). Mammals of India, v. 1.13. editors.
http://www.mammalsofindia.org/sp/721/Moschus-leucogaster
Share by email