Fea's muntjac
Muntiacus feae
TAXONOMY
Muntiacus feae (Thomas and Doria, 1889), Tenasserim, Burma.
OTHER COMMON NAMES
English: Fea's rib-faced deer.
PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS
Moderate body size: body length: 39.4–40.9 in (100–104 cm); shoulder height: 23.2–26.8 in (59–68 cm); weight: 40–46 lb (18–21 kg). Tail is dark tan and frontal tufts are bright tan, and shorter than Muntiacus crinifrons. Antlers are short and small with tines equivalent to or shorter than the antler pedicles (there is distinct individual variation).
DISTRIBUTION
Yunnan (south Central China), Laos, eastern and peninsular Myanmar, Tenasserim, and Thailand.
HABITAT
Usually in evergreen forests in upland areas. In China, it has been found in mountainous forest comprised of a mixture of coniferous, broadleaf forest or shrub forest at an altitude to 8,200 ft (2,500 m).
BEHAVIOR
Diurnal and solitary.
FEEDING ECOLOGY AND DIET
Grasses, low-growing leaves, and tender shoots.
REPRODUCTIVE BIOLOGY
Polygamous. Gestation period is around 180 days. Young are usually born in dense growth, where they remain hidden until they can move about with the mother. It is now quite rare; total numbers are unknown, but are certainly small.
CONSERVATION STATUS
Generally considered highly endangered. Currently listed as Data Deficient by the IUCN, and listed on the U.S. Endangered Species Act. Restriction to a small roaming area and subjected to uncontrolled hunting by humans have led to its endangered status.
SIGNIFICANCE TO HUMANS
A nuisance in some areas because it destroys trees by ripping off the bark.
