Siberian Musk Deer - Moschus moschiferus

Siberian Musk Deer - Moschus moschiferus Linnaeus, 1758.

IUCN STATUS CATEGORY Vulnerable

HABITAT Forest and brushland at elevations of between 2,600 and 3,600m.

GEOGRAPHICAL SPREAD Siberia and Sakhalin (Russia), northern Mongolia, Manchuria (China) and Korea.

CURRENT POPULATION Unknown but declining rapidly.

SIZE Head and body 80 to 100cm. Tail 4 to 6cm. Height at shoulder 50 to 70cm.

WEIGHT 7 to 17kg.

AVERAGE LIFE EXPECTANCY Captives in China have lived up to 20 years.

NORMAL DIET A wide variety of vegetation, such as grass, moss and tender shoots. In winter, twigs, buds and lichens are taken.

NORMAL LIFESTYLE Shy, timid and generally solitary. Occasional migrations of between 12 and 35km have been reported for Musk Deer in Siberia. The long bristly hairs covering the body protect the animal from severe weather conditions experienced at high elevations. Musk deer are generally more active by night, they spend much of the day asleep or by dense cover.

PREVIOUS GEOGRAPHICAL SPREAD As present, previously at a higher population density.

REASONS FOR DECLINE Hunting for the musk trade.

CURRENT THREATS The musk from the male is used extensively in the manufacture of perfume, soap, and medicinal preparations. Because of the high value of musk these deer are much sought after by hunters. Many females and young (which do not produce musk) are captured in the traps set for adult males.

CONSERVATION PROJECTS There have been attempts to farm Musk Deer in China since 1958, and in Russia since 1976. Live capture of males and removal of musk which can be done safely, has also been suggested as more practical than farming. The island population of M. m. sachalinensis is listed in the Russian Red Data Book. Trade in musk is closely regulated by The Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES).

SPECIAL FEATURES A musk gland in the abdomen of the male secretes a brownish wax-like substance. About 28 grams of this secretion can be obtained from a single animal.

REFERENCES

Bannikov, A.G., Ustinov, S.K. and Lobanov, P.N. 1980. The musk deer Moschus moschiferus in the USSR. IUCN: Gland (Unpublished).

Nowak, R.M. 1991. Walker's Mammals of the World. 5th ed. Vol.2 John Hopkins University Press, London. pp. 1364.

Wang, Y., Ma, S. and Li, C. 1993. The taxonomy, Distribution and Status of Forest Musk Deer in China. 22-29 In: Ohtaishi, N. and Sheng, H.-I. 1993. Deer of China, Biology and Management. Elsevier: Amsterdam. pp. 418.

This information has been made available with help from WWF and Chevron.

We regret that we cannot provide more general species information of this type. For further information, we suggest you browse the web or go to your local library or bookstore. You will find species information and other conservation information on the WWF web site.