Microlivestock Little-Known Small Animals with a Promising Economic Future (1991) / Chapter Skim
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28 Musk Deer
28 Musk Deer
Pages 307-314
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From page 307... ...
The dried glands, called pods, contain a reddish brown musk powder that has been a commodity in international commerce for more than 1,000 years. Despite bans in India (1972)
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From page 308... ...
Neither sex possesses antlers, but males have long upper canine teeth that project well below the lips. The lower front teeth have a spatulate form that probably helps the animals scrape lichens from the surfaces of rocks and trees in winter, when most vegetation is snow covered.
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From page 309... ...
One population extends from just north of the Arctic Circle southward to the northern edge of Mongolia and Korea. Others occur in China, northern Vietnam, and the Himalayan region including Bhutan, Assam, Tibet, the Indian Himalayas, Nepal, and northern Pakistan.
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From page 310... ...
The amount varies with the season and the age of the animal, but pods of adult males usually weigh about 30 g; occasionally up to 45 g. Males also have a caudal gland under the tail, which secretes a viscous yellow substance with a goaty smell.
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From page 311... ...
If cornered, males defend themselves by slashing with their tusks, often inflicting deep cuts and severe injuries. USES The strong-smelling, reddish-brown musk is obtainable only from this animal.7 It is used as a fixative in expensive perfumes to increase the retention of the fragrance on the skin.
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From page 312... ...
Despite heavy initial losses of animals, mainly during transportation and acclimatization, the Chinese now breed musk deer in considerable numbers. However, juvenile mortality is still high and longevity relatively short.
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From page 313... ...
For this purpose, today's musk deer hunters could be trained to extract musk from live animals, releasing and recapturing them on a controlled basis. Another alternative could be controlled culling at a sustainable level, as is now done in the Soviet Union, where about 5 percent of the population is harvested each year.
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From page 314... ...
Pudu
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