Himalayan Musk Deer

The Himalayan or white-bellied musk deer was previously treated as a subspecies of the alpine musk deer but was separated on skull proportions. It is adapted to altitude with a dense coat of coarse, air-filled hairs for insulation, well-developed dew claws and broad toes for steady footing on steep slopes. It tends to bound rather than run, and fawns have white spots that fade with age (Wikipedia, general species account).

It is endemic to the eastern Himalayas, confirmed by genetic data only in Nepal, and lives above 2,500m. At night it comes out to feed in more open habitats on leaves of trees and shrubs. Males secrete musk from an abdominal gland. Females become sexually mature at 16 to 24 months and have one or two young at a time. Nationally Data Deficient (Nepal National Red List 2011).