Rare mouse-deer caught on camera in southwest China

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Video of the endangered mouse-deer was released to the public on December 13 by researchers from Xishuangbanna National Nature Reserve in southwest China's Yunnan Province. The footage was caught earlier this year by the researchers.

The mouse-deer is the smallest known hooved mammal. It feeds upon plants and looks like a rabbit with visibly longer hind legs than front legs. It is a very sensitive animal that usually lives alone in the rainforest, therefore, the video is quite special.

mouse-deer /VCG Photo

According to Luo Aidong, a senior engineer working at the Xishuangbanna National Nature Reserve, it was the first time HD footage of a mouse-deer in its living areas in China has been made. Luo started to research the mouse-deer in 1994, but he only saw a few wild mouse-deer in China in the past two years.

Mouse-deer, also known as Chevrotains, are classified as "endangered" on the World Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List of Threatened Species. At present, a total of 38 subspecies are known to be mainly distributed in the rainforests of Southeast Asia, with a single species in the rainforests of Central and West Africa.

mouse-deer /VCG Photo

China is at the northern edge of the mouse-deer distribution region meaning the animal mainly lives in Mengla County in Xishuangbanna, Yunnan Province.

In order to better understand the living condition of the mouse-deer, the Chinese research team has visited 218 groups of villagers in Xishuangbanna since 2016. After tracking the animal's daily activity, the team made a new discovery.

mouse-deer /VCG Photo

"So far, we have found the basic distribution of the animal in Xishuangbanna, China, and we found a lot of interesting things along the way. For example, the mouse-deer is internationally described as a nocturnal animal, but we spot them more frequently during the day. If this can be confirmed in the future, we may make corresponding adjustments in the future protection strategy," Luo said.

The mouse-deer is a nationally protected animal in China. In Xishuangbanna National Nature Reserve, methods are employed to protect the endangered species including distributing brochures and encouraging villagers to set up mouse-deer conservation groups.