Alpine Musk Deer Latest News
A Central Zoo Authority report reveals a mix-up in identifying the Alpine musk deer for conservation breeding, mistakenly initiating programs for the Himalayan musk deer instead.
About Alpine Musk Deer
- The Alpine musk deer (Moschus chrysogaster) is a musk deer species found only in Asia.
- It is not a true deer, but rather its family is closely related to Bovidae, the group that contains antelopes, bovines, sheep, and goats.
- It is generally solitary and a crepuscular animal.
- Alpine musk deer is named for having an externally visible musk sac between the male testes. Its fangs grow during mating season and are used for sparring with other males.
- Habitat: It inhabits coniferous and deciduous forests in the mountain regions at elevations of 3,000–5,000 m.
- Diet: It is a ruminant herbivore, foremost a browser and feeds mainly on forbs, grasses, moss, lichens, and shoots, leaves and twigs of shrubs.
- Distribution: It is mainly found in India, Nepal, Bhutan and China.
- Conservation Status
- IUCN: Endangered
- CITES: Appendix I
- Wildlife Protection Act, 1972: Schedule IÂ
- Threats: The main threat to the Alpine musk deer is poaching for its musk, which is used in cosmetic products.
 Source: DTE
Alpine musk deer FAQs
Q1: Where is musk deer found in India?
Ans: Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Sikkim, and Arunachal Pradesh
Q2: What is crepuscular in animals?
Ans: Crepuscular refers to twilight, the time shortly before sunrise and after sunset. In the context of animal ecology, it refers to those species active during these times of day.
