The musk-deer is the smallest deer species on the Earth. Musk-deers live in the mountain taiga from the East Himalayas and Tibet till the East Siberia .
It is a small and light animal that can grow up to one metre in length and weight up to seventeen kilograms. It has a thick and long coat. Males have a long curved tusks protruding from the upper lip. Musk deer are herbivores and they eat mainly leaves, flowers, and grasses, with some lichens. It has many natural enemies, such as lynx, wolverines and foxes. Musk deers have been hunted for their scent glands, that cost a lot on black market.
The musk-deer has suffered because of poaching and is an endangered species. It is estimated that the wild population of musk-deer in Russia is between 120—125 thousands. We should all help this animal to survive.
