One of the 12 deer on WAnimals
Mammals · Artiodactyla · Moschidae
Alpine Musk Deer
Moschus chrysogaster
Endangered
At very high risk of extinction in the wild in the near future.
The alpine musk deer is a small, primitive ungulate of the high-altitude forests of the Himalaya and the Tibetan plateau. Like the other musk deer it has no antlers and the males display curved upper canines. It lives alone on steep ground and feeds on lichens, leaves and shoots. The musk gland of the males is one of the most expensive raw materials in the world, and hunting for the illegal trade has decimated the species throughout its range.
Weight
11 kg – 18 kg
Size
80 cm – 1 m
Life expectancy
15 years
