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Text and photos by Nick Baker, unless otherwise credited.
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Greater Mousedeer
   
   

Fig 1


Fig 2


Fig 3
  

Fig 4
    

Order : CETARTIODACTYLA
Family : Tragulidae
Species : Tragulus napu

Head-Body Length : 52-57 cm
Tail Length : 6-10 cm
Weight : 3.5-4.5 kg

The Greater Mousedeer is a larger cousin of the Lesser Mousedeer. It occurs in tall, primary forest, secondary forest and, in some areas,  disturbed forest. In contrast to the Lesser Mousedeer it appears to be mainly nocturnal in habits.

Various features help to distinguish between the two species in the field. Firstly, the Greater Mousedeer is significantly larger weighing up to 3.5 kg, whilst the Lesser Mousedeer weighs up to 2.5 kg. Secondly, the fur of the Greater Mousedeer appears longer and more coarse than the other species, with orange to buff fur with blackish tips. Lastly, the white markings on the throat and upper chest are different to the Lesser Mousedeer : there is an extra short white stripe under the chin, above the long, inverted chevron.

Like its smaller cousin, the Greater Mousedeer feeds on fallen fruits, young shoots and forest herbs.

This species is somewhat less wide-ranging than the Lesser Mousedeer, occurring in Myanmar, southern Thailand, Peninsular Malaysia, Singapore (Pulau Ubin), Sumatra, Borneo and the Philippines (Palawan).


Fig 1 : Male from lowland, primary forest at Taman Negara, Peninsular Malaysia. It has strongly orange fur. Note the lower canines protruding from the mouth.

Fig 2 : Adult from lowland, freshwater swamp forest.

Fig 3 : Juvenile from lowland, mature secondary forest.

Fig 4 : Adult foraging amongst soil which has been freshly exposed by the activity of Eurasian Wild Pig.

Fig 5 : Example from Sabah, Borneo, with extensive dark grey fur on the lower flanks. Photo thanks to Oliver Wearn.


References : M5

 

 

Fig 5
    

©  Oliver Wearn