Fanged Deer Pops Up Six Decades After Last Sighting

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http://www.takepart.com/article/2014/11/01/fanged-deer-pops-six-decades-after-last-sighting?cmpid=tpdaily-eml-2014-11-03


A Siberian musk deer, one of seven similar species that live in Asia. (Photo: Julie Larsen Maher © WCS)


Poachers covet the endangered species for its scent glands, which are considered more valuable than gold.

November 01, 2014 By Kristina Bravo

Kristina Bravo is Assistant Editor at TakePart.

Forget vampires and Bambi—after six decades in hiding, the fanged deer is back.

Researchers from the Wildlife Conservation Society spotted the Kashmir musk deer in a forest in northeast Afghanistan. A Danish team surveying the region in 1948 recorded the last scientific sighting of the elusive creature.

The deer, one of seven similar species that dwell in Asia, uses its fangs to fight for mates. They’re sought after by poachers for their scent glands, which have been used in perfumes and traditional Chinese medicine for over 5,000 years. The musk can fetch as much $20,000 on the black market. Besides poaching, habitat loss also threatens the species. The IUCN Red List categorizes the deer as endangered.

The research team caught sight of the species five times, including a lone male on three occasions and one female with her young. Unfortunately, all were too skittish to be photographed.

FULL story at link.