9781422276358

Mouse Deer Scientists consider mouse deer to be the most primitive of the ruminants. As their name suggests, they are also among the smallest; full-grown adults of most species stand little more than 12 inches (4.75 centimeters) high at the shoulder. The family has representa- tives in equatorial Africa—the water chevro- tain—and south Asia—the mouse deer—and comprises four species. Mouse deer are essentially solitary animals for much of their lives. They are extremely difficult to observe because of their small size and retiring nature as well as their nocturnal habits and coats marked with cryptic spots and stripes. Mouse deer communicate with one another by sound and smell; urine and feces and the animal’s scent mark of musk- like secretions help demarcate territories. The digestive systems of mouse deer indicate their kinship to other ruminants, although they lack the antlers or horns that characterize so many other members of the group. The rather bizarre facial appearance of mouse deer is further enhanced by the needle- like upper canines projecting downward from the mouth. These teeth grow throughout life and are longer in males than females. The presence of four, fully developed toes also sets mouse deer apart from other ruminants.

VARIED CREATURES

Following page: Impala are one of the most widespread and familiar of all Africa’s antelopes. They are generally encountered in small herds and favor open savannah woodland rather than the grassy plains exploited by many of their cousins.

All the animals considered here belong to a large and important group of herbivorous mammals called the ungulates: animals whose feet bear hooves rather than claws. Horses, rhinoceroses, and their relatives make up one subdivision of this group, while the remainder are known as even-toed ungu- lates, a varied group that includes familiar species such as pigs, hippos, and camels. What sets apart the deer, antelopes, cattle, sheep, and goats from these other animals is an adaptation in the digestive system. Like all herbivores, their bodies must break down plant cells, and they do so by using a modified gut, a fermentation mode of digestion, and a chewing method known as rumination. The scientific classification of animals places all ruminant mammals in a subdi- vision of the even-toed ungulates called the Ruminantia. Within this group there are five family divisions: mouse deer, musk deer, true deer, giraffes, and bovids. The last family is a large and complex one whose members include cattle, antelopes, goats, and sheep.

Alerted by the scent of a predator, these white-tailed deer panic and take off at great speed. In a state of alarm, the deer demonstrate the origin of their name. The sight of a white “flag” is a sign to other whitetails that danger threatens.

A fine set of antlers and a loud, bellowing roar are an elk stag’s main attributes during the rutting season. This seasonal exercise is so exhausting for the males that many succumb if the

winter that follows is a severe one.

7