Why is it called the muntjac?
The present name is a borrowing of the Latinized form of the Dutch muntjak, which was borrowed from the Sundanese mēncēk. The Latin form first appeared as Cervus muntjac in Zimmerman in 1780.
What are muntjac unique adaptations?
Special Adaptations: Females have smaller tusks. Muntjacs also have a scent gland under each eye that they use to mark sticks with, by poking the stick into the gland. Muntjacs are called “barking deer,” because males have a barking call, used both as an alarm signal, and also during the mating season.
Do muntjac have teeth?
If that doesn’t work, Muntjac can defend themselves using their antlers, but their tusk-like canine teeth are a more formidable weapon – the males will even use these fangs on each other if they find themselves in a territorial scuffle.
Do muntjacs eat meat?
Diet and Nutrition Reeves’s muntjacs are omnivorous creatures. They feed on herbs, blossoms, succulent shoots, fungi, berries, grasses, and nuts. They may also eat tree bark. Eggs and carrion are eaten opportunistically.
Do female muntjac have horns?
In common with all deer species except the reindeer, the female muntjac deer do not have antlers, they have tufts of hair in place of antlers.
What do muntjacs eat?
Muntjac feed on trees and shrubs, shoots, herbs, berries, nuts and fungi. Up to 85 different plants have been recorded in the species’ diet.
How do muntjac defend themselves?
Prominent antlers would be a hindrance for these forest deer, so in addition to their short, spikey antlers, they use long, sharp canine teeth to defend themselves. Males also use them to spar with one another for mating privileges.
Do people eat muntjac deer?
Pint-sized it may be, but muntjac is very good in the pot. Pint-sized muntjac may be, but their venison makes superb eating. Unlike the flesh of the larger deer species, it is fine in texture and, of course, the cuts are just the right size for the domestic kitchen.
Can I eat muntjac deer?
Pint-sized muntjac may be, but their venison makes superb eating. Unlike the flesh of the larger deer species, it is fine in texture and, of course, the cuts are just the right size for the domestic kitchen.
Where do Muntjacs sleep?
Thick areas that would make a good bed of weed and grass are also an ideal place where deers sleep during the day. They also prefer to sleep in woods at least 20 feet into the dense foliage and other deeper places. They mainly choose the places during the day to hide from the sight of predators and human hunters.
What kind of animal is a muntjac?
This species, of the genus Muntiacus, is native to the wilds of southern and southeastern Asia. Muntjacs are rather prehistoric in appearance, and are easy to distinguish from what many people traditionally think of deer (i.e. White Tailed Deer, Mule Deer, Roe Deer, etc.).
How big is a giant muntjac?
As its name would suggest it is one of the largest of the muntjac species, its shoulder height being up to 70 cm, making it about twice the size of other known species of muntjac deer. The coat of the Giant Muntjac is a dark brown color. Since it was only recently discovered, we don’t know much about this animal.
What is the hairy-fronted muntjac?
These deer, sometimes called the Hairy-Fronted Muntjac, are at risk due to over-hunting and habitat loss. You’ll find these deer in eastern central China, where they live in mixed forest areas and are similar in appearance to the Indian Muntjac deer species.
What does a muntjac deer look like?
The Muntjac deer or the Chinese muntjac has a brown-coated and hunched back. It is an Artiodactyla, having an even number of toes. Short antlers 4 in (10 cm) in length are present on the male muntjac deer skull while females lack the antlers.