Chinese muntjac
Reeves's muntjac (Muntiacus reevesi) is a muntjac species native to East Asia. It takes its name from John Reeves, a naturalist employed by the British East India Company in the 19th century.
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CrepuscularCrepuscular animals are those that are active primarily during twilight (that is, the periods of dawn and dusk). This is distinguished from diurnal...
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OmnivoreAn omnivore is an animal that has the ability to eat and survive on both plant and animal matter. Obtaining energy and nutrients from plant and ani...
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TerrestrialTerrestrial animals are animals that live predominantly or entirely on land (e.g., cats, ants, snails), as compared with aquatic animals, which liv...
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CursorialA cursorial organism is one that is adapted specifically to run. An animal can be considered cursorial if it has the ability to run fast (e.g. chee...
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PrecocialPrecocial species are those in which the young are relatively mature and mobile from the moment of birth or hatching. Precocial species are normall...
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TerritorialA territory is a sociographical area that which an animal consistently defends against the conspecific competition (or, occasionally, against anima...
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ViviparousAmong animals, viviparity is the development of the embryo inside the body of the parent. The term 'viviparity' and its adjective form 'viviparous'...
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PolygynyPolygyny is a mating system in which one male lives and mates with multiple females but each female only mates with a single male.
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Generally solitaryGenerally solitary animals are those animals that spend their time separately but will gather at foraging areas or sleep in the same location or sh...
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SolitaryNo
Not a migrantAnimals that do not make seasonal movements and stay in their native home ranges all year round are called not migrants or residents.
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starts withReeves's muntjacs are reddish-brown in appearance with striped markings on their face. Their belly is creamy-white, with lighter fur extending to the neck, chin, and underside of the tail. The males have short antlers and long upper canines (tusks). Females have bony lumps on their foreheads and localized black spots. Both males and females Reeves's muntjacs also have preorbital glands. These glands produce a creamy liquid which is used for chemical communication.
Reeves's muntjacs are found in southeastern China (from Gansu to Yunnan) and Taiwan. In China, these deer inhabit rocky places and open woodlands of pine and oak. They also occur in low mountains and hilly areas, at forest edges and in shrubby habitats. In Taiwan, Reeves's muntjacs are found mostly in forested areas. There they live in habitats that range from subtropical lowlands to coniferous forests or alpine grassland at the highest altitudes.
Reeves's muntjacs are generally solitary and crepuscular animals. They are territorial and both males and females defend small territories. They mark their territories with preorbital gland secretions that are thought to be pheromonal in nature. Territories of females usually overlap, but male territories overlap only with those of females, not of other males. When defending their territory or fighting for females, males first use their antlers to push enemies off balance so they can wound them with their upper canine teeth. Reeves's muntjacs have a habit of creating trails through their territory. They use these trails for ease of movement. They also like to trample down and clear areas for sleep. In order to communicate with each other, Reeves's muntjacs use vocalizations and chemical signals. They bark when feeling threatened or in the presence of a dominant conspecific. Chemical communication consists of scent marks that muntjacs leave on vegetation when marking the territory.
Reeves's muntjacs are omnivorous creatures. They feed on herbs, blossoms, succulent shoots, fungi, berries, grasses, and nuts. They may also eat tree bark. Eggs and carrion are eaten opportunistically.
Reeves's muntjacs have a polygynous mating system. This means that males mate with more than one female during each breeding season. These muntjacs breed throughout the year. The gestation period lasts from 209 to 220 days and females give birth to 1 or 2 fawns. Young are born precocial and develop very quickly. They are weaned early and begin to eat solid foods. Females generally nurse their fawns around 17 weeks. When fawns are 6 months old, they leave the mother's territory. Females become reproductively mature within the first year of life.
Reeves's muntjacs are threatened mainly by the habitat destruction and hunting. They are hunted for food and for their soft skins which were used in the fur market, beauty-care products, musical instruments, lenses, and antique items packaging. Their forest habitat is being lost due to logging, agriculture, and urbanization.
The IUCN Red List and other sources don’t provide the number of the Reeves's muntjac total population size. Currently, this species is classified as Least Concern (LC) on the IUCN Red List but its numbers today are decreasing.