Vietnam mouse-deer
The Silver-backed chevrotain (Tragulus versicolor) is a small mysterious deer known only from Vietnam. It was first described in 1910. Facing multiple threats in the wild, the Silver-backed chevrotain was feared to have gone extinct and in 2019, a study confirmed its presence for the first time since the last confirmed sightings in 1990. With increasing hunting pressure, habitat loss due to deforestation, and no more reports of the species in the wild, this species was feared to have gone extinct. The IUCN listed it as Data Deficient in 2008. In 2019, a study confirmed the presence of the Silver-backed chevrotain in dry low-lying forests of southern Vietnam with camera trap evidence.
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DiurnalDiurnal animals are active during the daytime, with a period of sleeping or other inactivity at night. The timing of activity by an animal depends ...
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HerbivoreA herbivore is an animal anatomically and physiologically adapted to eating plant material, for example, foliage, for the main component of its die...
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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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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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SolitarySo
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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 withThe Silver-backed chevrotain has a rough coat with a strange double-tone coloration; the front part of the body is reddish-brown and contrasts strongly with the greyish posterior. It has big reddish-brown ears, white and dark reddish-brown marks on the throat. A prominent silver line runs down the back, hence the name "silver-backed". The tail, grey in the upper part and white below, becomes more reddish-brown toward the tip, which is white.
Silver-backed chevrotains are native to Vietnam. They can be found in the semi-deciduous tropical forest as well as in dry lowland forest near the southern coast of the country.
Little is known about the distribution and ecology of this mouse-deer as it has been sighted only thrice in the wild. It is suggested that they are active mainly during the day. These little creatures are very shy and were spotted singly or in pairs.
Like other chevrotains, they are probably herbivores and feed on various types of plants.
Chevrotians generally give birth to only a single young. Parental care is usually relatively limited. The young are typically weaned at 3 months of age, and reach reproductive maturity between 5 and 10 months, depending on species.
The major threats to Silver-backed chevrotains include hunting pressure and habitat loss due to deforestation and degradation.
The IUCN Red List and other sources don’t provide the number of the Silver-backed chevrotain total population size. Currently, this species is classified as Data Deficient (DD) on the IUCN Red List and its numbers today are decreasing.
Social animals are those animals that interact highly with other animals, usually of their own species (conspecifics), to the point of having a rec...