Microlivestock Little-Known Small Animals with a Promising Economic Future (1991) / Chapter Skim
Currently Skimming:
26 Mouse Deer
26 Mouse Deer
Pages 291-298
The Chapter Skim interface presents what we've algorithmically identified as the most significant single chunk of text within every page in the chapter.
Select key terms on the right to highlight them within pages of the chapter.
From page 291... ...
Indeed, they share a number of characteristics with nonruminants, including lack of horns or antlers; continually growing, tusklike upper canines in males; sharp-crowned premolars; and four fully developed toes. Virtually unchanged in 25 million years of evolution, these are solitary, nocturnal, retiring animals that have seldom received detailed research.
|
From page 292... ...
Of the three Asian species, the Indian mouse deer occurs in southern India and Sri Lanka; the larger Malayan mouse deer occurs on the mainland of Southeast Asia and the lesser Malayan mouse deer occurs on Java as well. The water chevrotain, a related African animal, is found from eastern Zaire to the Atlantic coast.
|
From page 293... ...
HABITAT AND ENVIRONMENT These animals inhabit equatorial forests and mixed secondary tropical forest. They generally live among undergrowth on the edges of dense lowland rainforests.
|
From page 294... ...
Mature females reproduce almost continuously, and usually regardless of season. In the female larger Malayan mouse deer, mating occurs within 2 days of giving birth.
|
From page 296... ...
They also have been reared successfully in small enclosures at several research institutes, such as the I.R.E.T Institute, Makokou, Gabon; the Institute of Medical Research in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia; and at Fort Detrick in the United States. Perhaps the best way to breed this animal is by using the battery system of small units comprising one male and two females per cage.
|
From page 297... ...
They must be kept in a quiet enclosure, with cover or good shelters. RESEARCH AND CONSERVATION NEEDS The survival of these four "living fossils" depends on conserving their rainforest habitat and restricting hunting, especially night hunting.
|
From page 298... ...
· -it 15~7,; ~ ~If.
|
Key Terms
This material may be derived from roughly machine-read images, and so is provided only to facilitate research.
More
information on Chapter Skim is available.