Giant muntjac

Giant muntjac
Scientific classification
Kingdom:Animalia
Phylum:Chordata
Class:Mammalia
Order:Artiodactyla
Family:Cervidae
Subfamily:Cervinae
Genus:Muntiacus
Species: M. vuquangensis
Binomial name
Muntiacus vuquangensis
(Tuoc, Dung, Dawson, Arctander and Mackinnon, 1994)
Geographic range
Synonyms

Megamuntiacus vuquangensis (Tuoc et al., 1994)

The giant muntjac, sometimes referred to as the large-antlered muntjac (Muntiacus vuquangensis), is a species of muntjac deer. It is the largest muntjac species and was discovered in 1994 in Vũ Quang, Hà Tĩnh Province of Vietnam and in central Laos. During inundation of the Nakai Reservoir in Khammouane Province of Laos for the Nam Theun 2 Multi-Purpose Project, 38 giant muntjac were captured, studied, and released into the adjacent Nakai-Nam Theun National Protected Area. Subsequent radio-tracking of a sample of these animals showed the relocation was successful.[2] The species is also located in parts of eastern Cambodia, as well as the Trường Sơn Mountains.[3]

The giant muntjac is commonly found in evergreen forests and weighs about 66–110 lb (30–50 kg).[4] It has a red-brown coat and is an even-toed ungulate. Due to slash-and-burn agriculture, combined with hunting, the giant muntjac is considered endangered. It is preyed upon by animals such as the tiger and leopard. It is most closely related to the Indian muntjac.

References

  1. ↑ IUCN World Conservation congress, 2016
  2. ↑ Stone, R. (2009). "Dam project reveals secret sanctuary of vanishing deer". Science. 325 (5945): 1192–1192. doi:10.1126/science.325_1192b. PMID 19729627.
  3. ↑ WWF: Giant muntjac (Muntiacus vuquangensis) Archived 2010-02-20 at the Wayback Machine.
  4. ↑ Animal Info - Giant Muntjac


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