Himalayan Musk Deer

The Himalayan musk deer is an antlerless, sandy-brown mountain ungulate measuring 86–100cm and weighing 11–18kg. Its arched back, powerful hind limbs and long ears give it a hare-like outline. Both sexes possess elongated upper canines, although those of males can reach 7–10cm. Males also carry an abdominal musk sac and a scent gland near the tail. Skull proportions and the poorly defined pale throat markings distinguish it from the alpine musk deer. (Animal Diversity Web)

This solitary deer occupies steep alpine terrain above approximately 2,500m in the Himalayas of Bhutan, India, Nepal and a small part of China. It is most active around dawn and dusk and feeds on seasonally available grasses, forbs, mosses, lichens, fungi, twigs, shoots and leaves. Individuals may forage several kilometres at night before returning to their usual territory. Mating occurs mainly from November to January; gestation lasts 185–195 days and produces one or two young. (Animal Diversity Web)