THE OFFICIAL WEBSITE OF THE GREAT HIMALAYAN NATIONAL PARK, Solitary, except when female is with young, HBL: 86-100 cm, HAS: 50 cm. Members of this species are thought to use latrine sites and other strong-smelling secretions to mark their territory. The deer use this to mark territories and attract females, but the musk is also used in the manufacture of perfumes and medicines, it is highly valuable. The White-bellied musk deer or Himalayan musk deer (Moschus leucogaster) is a musk deer species occurring in the Himalayas of Nepal, Bhutan, India, Pakistan and China. The story of the Himalayan Musk Deer. Himalayan musk deer are most active between dusk and dawn, alternately resting and feeding throughout this period. Loss of habitat, livestock grazing, woods cutting and other indefensible practices in potential habitat of musk deer are supplementary factors which result in decline of population of this wild ungulate. Content on this website is published and managed by Great Himalayan National Park Authorities. A shy, brownish yellow, dog sized, mountain ruminant, the Himalayan Musk deer can be differentiated from the alpine musk deer in having dark legs and chest with no chest stripe. Huge collection, amazing choice, 100+ million high quality, affordable RF and RM images. IUCN Status: Endangered. The Himalayan musk deer (Moschus chrysogaster) is a cervid distributed from the eastern to the western Himalayas of Nepal. At night, musk deer can be seen in the open areas of their habitat as they graze, while during the day, they remain in dense cover. Click below to learn about how we are helping. It’s called a musk deer because when it reaches a certain age, it begins to emit a fragrance from a pouch near its navel. Himalayan Musk Deer: Latin name: Moschus leucogaster Hodgson: Local name: Kastura: IUCN/WPA/Indian status: Endangered/locally common: Social unit: Solitary, except when female is with young: Size / weight: HBL: 86-100 cm, HAS: 50 cm. The White-bellied musk deer or Himalayan musk deer (Moschus leucogaster) is a musk deer species occurring in the Himalayas of Nepal, Bhutan, India, Pakistan and China. Musk deer can refer to any one, or all seven, of the species that make up Moschus, the only extant genus of the family Moschidae. Male Himalayan musk deer are quite territorial of other males and fight those which attempt to enter their territory. The specific name sifanicus is sometimes used in place of chrysogaster. Find the perfect himalayan musk deer stock photo. Moschus leucogaster – Himalayan Musk deer, Official Logo of the Great Himalayan National Park. Moschus chrysogaster … The Himalayan musk deer was described by Hodgson in 1839. Himalayan musk deer are sedentary, occupying small home ranges of up 0.22 km^2, though males defend a much larger territory. Communication is chiefly by olfaction. No need to register, buy now! Himalayan musk deer, which is found in the Himalayas above 2,500 metres in parts of India, China, Pakistan, Nepal, Bhutan and Afghanistan, is a victim of poaching and the species has reached close to extinction. Neighbouring individuals may utilize common The fragrance is so heavenly, you’ve probably heard of the word musk, used in colognes and perfumes, that’s where it comes from. Himalayan Musk Deer, Dehra Dun, India. It is listed as endangered by the IUCN because of overexploitation resulting in a probable serious population decline. Nepal The Conflict. While they lack antlers, a trait notable among all musk deer, they do possess a pair of enlarged and easily broken canines that grow continuously. The ears are brown on the back, but have grey rims insides. The species is listed as endangered in appendix I of IUCN Red data, and protected in Nepal under the National Parks and Wildlife Conservation Act of 1973. Himalayan Musk Deer (Moschus leucogaster) Population Trend: Decreasing. Local communities are highly dependent on forests for their daily livelihood support. The under parts are pale, rump and buttocks are dark, The face is grayish brown and the eye may or may not have an eye ring, which when present is faint and grayish. This shy Himalayan mammal species is listed by IUCN as Endangered because of a probable serious population decline. For any query regarding this website, please contact the Web Information Manager. Weight : 13-18 Kg: Description: A shy, brownish yellow, dog sized, mountain ruminant, the Himalayan Musk deer can be differentiated from the alpine musk deer … The musk produced by this genus of primitive deer is highly valued for its cosmetic and alleged pharmaceutical properties, and can fetch U.S.$45,000 per kilogram on the international market.