Is it true that there are deer with tusks? Saber-toothed musk deer: photos and interesting facts. Range, habitats
Deer generally seem to us to be cute and harmless animals. They are quite timid, feed on grass and leaves and can only cause harm if they hit someone with their hoof. Interestingly, some members of the deer family have fangs.
Nature deprived him of the main attribute of his relatives, placing him in a separate group of antlerless deer, as a result of which he had to grow two magnificent fangs, which serve as an excellent means of protection from enemies and getting rid of unwanted competitors during the mating season. This is what everyone's favorite fawn Bambi could have been like if he had been born a water deer.
In the wild, this species of deer lives in wet areas in the Yangtze River Delta, along the banks of lakes and rivers in east-central China, as well as on the Korean Peninsula. Water deer can be seen grazing in tall reed beds and green foothills, or resting in the soft soil of plowed and seeded fields.
Water deer are excellent swimmers, and to change their surroundings or find new pasture, they are able to swim several kilometers, moving between the coastal Chinese islands.
These fanged creatures, resembling ordinary roe deer in appearance, lead an absolutely vegetarian lifestyle, but are more demanding in their choice of food than their relatives. They raid cultivated fields and eat not only weeds, but also the crop itself. Favorite delicacies are tender sprouts of sedge, lush green grass, young leaves of bushes.
The main distinguishing feature of the water deer is its long curved fangs, which grow from 5.5 to 8 centimeters in adult males. The canines are movably located in the upper jaw and are controlled by the facial muscles. An adult male water deer can use them like a folding knife - when eating, they retract back, and in case of danger or a showdown with rivals, they move forward, representing a very formidable weapon.
These sharp fangs left many scars on the necks and heads of other males during the mating period. In case of danger, the deer lowers its lower lip and tightly clenches both jaws, showing the enemy a menacing grin, which has assigned its owner the name “vampire deer.”
Water deer are solitary animals, remembering their relatives only at the height of the mating season. Between the fingers of males there are special glands that produce a liquid with which they mark the territory. They take the issue of personal ownership of land very seriously and do not like it when uninvited guests encroach on their habitats.
To maintain the inviolability of their personal territory, water deer do not limit themselves to the production of odorous liquid - to be more sure, they pluck the grass around their plot of land, thus marking its boundaries. But even this seems to them not enough, and they lay out branches of young trees along the edges of the site, having previously marked them with saliva.
The means of communication between water deer are variations of sounds reminiscent of dog barking. This is how water deer bark at people, and also at other deer, sometimes for unknown reasons. During mating, they make characteristic clicking sounds, probably using their molars. Females, ready to mate, call the male with a quiet whistle or a high-pitched sound like a squeal.
Musk deer is the smallest antlerless deer. Despite the fact that musk deer are classified as members of the deer family, they have neither antlers nor tear sockets under their eyes. And males generally have long fangs on the sides of their mouths, like a boar’s, which grow throughout their lives.
Due to the absence of the usual horns, the musk deer's head looks small compared to its body. The animal's fur is coarse and long, dark brown. Light spots stretch in rows on the back and sides. Large bulging eyes always look scared.
2. In places where musk deer live, it is practically impossible for a person to pass: the slopes of rocks and cliffs have an almost vertical steepness. The musk deer makes its way here without difficulty, easily jumps from one boulder to another, and never slips. The soft horny rim on the hoof cover holds it
3. Males have a gland that secretes 10-20 grams of natural musk. Males need to attract females every year to mate. This problem is solved with the help of an attractive smell.
4. Despite the huge fangs, the musk deer uses them only during the mating season to intimidate rivals.
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Musk deer is an animal that has given rise to many myths and superstitions. Its extraordinary appearance has long attracted the attention of naturalists, who were ready to easily travel hundreds of kilometers through mountainous terrain just to see this creature in person. And even today interest in him has not waned.
What kind of miracle animal is the musk deer, the description of which has so many interesting facts? Why is it so remarkable? And why is it under the protection of the World Organization for Animal Rights?
What a wondrous beast?
The musk deer animal is one of the True, it is very different from its closest relatives in both size and appearance. Another name for it is musk deer. The musk deer animal gained its fame due to two reasons: unusual fangs and musk.
This deer has two front canines that grow from the upper jaw. Because of them, the musk deer acquired the reputation of a vampire hunting other animals. Moreover, people used to believe that this beast was an evil spirit, and shamans often hunted it in order to get teeth as a magical trophy.
The time of superstitions has sunk into oblivion, but the persecution of these animals has not stopped. After all, the animal musk deer is known for one more feature, namely musk. It was this substance that became the target of many poachers who were ready to destroy an entire species just to get such a coveted reward.
Appearance
What does a musk deer look like? In the photo, the animal resembles a cross between a roe deer and a deer, although without horns. It just so happens that this species is completely devoid of bone growths on the head, as well as tear pits under the eyes.
Musk deer rarely grow more than one meter in length. As for its height, at the moment the largest spotted individual was no more than 80 cm. Moreover, its weight ranges from 12 to 18 kilograms. The color of the coat can vary from dark brown to light brown.
The musk deer is an animal known for its long tusks. True, only males have them and can reach up to 7 cm in length. For musk deer, they serve as a tool of protection, and only during the mating season can gentlemen use them as a way to prove their superiority over others.
Musk deer animal: habitat
This animal prefers mountainous terrain, and therefore its main habitat is marked by the mountains of China and Tibet. But you can also meet him in Russia. Thus, musk deer are found over a very vast territory: starting from the lower Altai and ending with the Amur itself.
The musk deer's favorite place is the forest. Therefore, this is where the animal spends most of its time. However, this does not mean that deer do not wander high into the mountains. Thus, there is evidence that some individuals live in the Himalayas, at an altitude of more than 3000 m above sea level.
Habits of the musk deer
This type of deer is accustomed to a solitary lifestyle. This rule is violated only during the mating season, and then not for long. By the way, during mating games, male musk deer become very aggressive towards each other. Quite often, their skirmishes lead to bloody fang fights, which can sometimes lead to death.
During the rest of the year they lead a quiet and measured lifestyle. They feed mainly on moss and fresh leaves. Therefore, the rumor that musk deer drink blood is just an empty superstition that has nothing to do with the truth.
In addition, the musk deer is very timid; any danger makes it run away without looking back. At the same time, it is almost impossible to catch up with him. Thanks to the special structure of his body, he can change his running trajectory without even slowing down.
Hunting for musk
In the old days, the musk deer population was not threatened. Its meat was not suitable for consumption as it had an unpleasant aftertaste. As for the skin, although it retained heat, it was still much worse than that of other animals. So the only enemies of the deer were shamans and mystics who collected their fangs. But everything changed the moment Chinese alchemists began to use musk in their medicines.
For those who don't know, musk is a viscous substance that has a tart odor. Each male musk deer has a special gland that secretes this secretion. It was she who became the object of hunting for many healers and healers. According to Chinese folk medicine, there are more than 200 potions and ointments infused with musk.
A little later, this substance began to be used in perfumery. Thanks to the tartness of the aroma, it quickly gained popularity among fashionistas and fashionistas of the time. Consequently, the pursuit of musk only intensified.
Ultimately, musk deer were hunted by everyone who wanted to make a quick buck. This led to the fact that the number of these animals decreased to such a limit that they were on the verge of complete extinction.
The fight for musk deer rights
Fortunately, the world is not without good people. This decline in musk deer numbers has caused outrage among animal rights activists. And so they began to take active steps to protect them.
Thanks to their intervention, musk deer was listed in the Red Book, and poachers hunting it were punished to the fullest extent of the law. Such measures saved the animal from extinction, although a complete restoration of the musk deer population will not happen soon.
Beast in Captivity
However, with the advent of the hunting ban, the need for musk did not disappear. And so farmers tried to breed a species that could live in captivity. The first attempts were unsuccessful, as the musk deer died very quickly. But over time, it was still possible to develop a breed that lives according to human rules.
True, as the farmers themselves assure, caring for it is still a lot of work. In particular, a lot of trouble arises during the period when males are ready to mate. Nevertheless, this approach greatly helped wild musk deer by reducing the demand for their glands.
- Previously, the appearance of a musk deer in the vicinity of a village foreshadowed grief. Therefore, after such a visit, shamans performed rituals to drive away evil spirits.
- When running away from an enemy, a musk deer behaves like a real hare. It meanders from side to side, and if a predator approaches, it can jump high and change its running trajectory by 90 degrees at lightning speed.
- In 1845, the musk deer population was more than 250 thousand individuals. A hundred years later, this number had dropped to 10 thousand, which became a signal for the salvation of the musk deer.
Musk deer (Moschus moschiferus Linn) is one of the smallest and most unique representatives of deer in the northern hemisphere. This small deer (some researchers classify the musk deer as a separate family), no more than half a meter high at the withers, has a number of specific features. Thus, the musk deer does not have horns, but the males have highly developed upper fangs, which protrude down from the mouth, and their ends fall below the chin. These fangs grow throughout life, reaching 7-10 centimeters in adult males, and they have a sharp cutting rear edge. In females, the upper canines are short and do not protrude beyond the lip. In the life of male musk deer, they are as important as the antlers of other deer.
This is what V. Prikhodko wrote in the magazine “Young Naturalist” (who still remembers this one) in 1981:
It just so happened that the object of my many years of research was musk deer. Musk deer is the smallest and at the same time the most mysterious deer of our fauna. Some aspects of the life of the musk deer and especially its ecology have not yet been sufficiently studied, although the musk deer is quite widespread. Outside our country, it is found in Mongolia, Korea, China and Nepal. In India and Vietnam, this deer is almost universally exterminated and is rare. The same fate befell the musk deer in densely populated Eastern China. In Nepal, it can be found only in certain areas, mainly in national parks. On the territory of the USSR, musk deer live in Eastern Siberia, Altai, Sayan Mountains, Transbaikalia, Yakutia, the Far East and Sakhalin.
To study the biology of musk deer, live animals were needed. I had to go to Transbaikalia, where the number of this deer is quite high. The main task of the first expedition was to catch two musk deer and deliver them to Moscow, where it was planned to begin regular observations of their behavior. To keep the animals in the forest near Moscow, an enclosure was built in advance and food was prepared.
My companion in Transbaikalia was a local Buryat hunter who agreed to help me and take me to the upper reaches of the Kyra River, where musk deer were met by pine nut collectors. The final part of the route was covered on horseback. The path lay along the bed to the bottom of a frozen mountain river. We had to travel about 80 kilometers. The higher we went up the river, the more difficult it became. Our path was often blocked by mighty larches and birches that had been fallen and frozen into the ice. Frequent ice patches and places with voids under the ice had to be walked along the river bank, overgrown with dense bushes.
The taiga grew darker - cedar began to appear more often, and now it no longer seemed as lifeless as at the beginning of the journey. In the shallow snow, traces of elk, wolf and musk deer began to be found. In such areas of the forest, as a rule, there is eternal twilight, and lichens grow on the trees, hanging in long strands - beards. It is popularly called bearded vulture and is the main food for musk deer, especially in winter.
The Buryats call the musk deer “kuderi”, and the Orochens from Sikhote-Alin call it “anda”. The ancient peoples of Sakhalin call it “Vongi” or “Orrokan”, the Yakuts call it “Mekcheke” and “Bichen”, and the Mongols call it “Khyuder”. In zoological literature, the musk deer bears the unusual name Moscus mosciferus. The animal owes this name to musk. The owners of the musk gland are males.
Musk deer live in hard-to-reach places. Sometimes even a well-trained person finds it difficult to reach them. The animals live in impassable thickets of bushes or in dense young spruce and fir forests of the mountain taiga, where there is water. Often in places where musk deer live, the slopes of the hills and spurs of the ridges have an almost vertical steepness, and if there is a gentle slope, then granite boulders are scattered in disarray, along which it is not so easy for a person to walk. Musk deer make their way in such places without any difficulty, easily jumping from one boulder to another, never slipping. The soft horny rim on the hoof cover holds it in place. In the process of evolution, she developed an amazing ability to maintain body balance. Even at considerable speed, it is capable of changing the direction of its movement by 90 degrees or instantly stopping in its tracks, without making any noise, and staying on a small boulder. Excellent maneuverability and good jumping ability allow the musk deer to easily overcome obstacles in places littered with fallen trees, where it loves to rest during the day.
Choosing a place for catching musk deer was not difficult, and the manufacture of stationary traps took only a few days. I was struck by their simplicity: it is enough to make something similar to a box out of poles and attach a sliding door to it with a guard. I wanted to use stored carrots or a bunch of fragrant hay as bait. However, an experienced guide found the bait right there on the spot. He plucked a strand of lichen from a tree branch and tied it to a guard. Small lichen bushes were scattered in the far corner of the trap and near the entrance. Now it was necessary to check five alert traps every day and wait for the musk deer to find them too. Soon, from the tracks, we determined that the musk deer began to get used to the traps. They began to approach them and eat the lichen at the entrance. Seven days later, the first prisoner was found in one trap. From a distance we heard the sound of hooves hitting poles, like scratching. They rushed to the trap and saw a male musk deer in it. Noticing us, he pressed himself to the corner and often shuddered. In the frosty air, the musk deer emanated a pleasant smell of musk.
The male was no more than three years old. The weight of the animal did not exceed 13 kilograms, and the height at the withers was about 70 centimeters. There were faintly outlined light brown spots scattered in disarray on the sides and back, which make the animal almost invisible in the forest. The general background color of the body was dark brown. Along the male’s neck, from the chin to the front legs, two white stripes stretched, as if dividing the neck into three parts. Long and sharp fangs about 5 centimeters long protruded from the upper jaw, by which I determined the age of the animal. In male musk deer, the upper canines grow throughout their lives, reaching 6 - 7 centimeters in adult males.
Studying the behavior of musk deer in captivity, the role of fangs in the life of these animals became clear to me. Male musk deer use them to intimidate rivals. Usually two males, equal in strength and age, walk in a circle at a distance of 6 - 7 meters from one another and, raising their heads up, bare their fangs, showing each other. At the same time, each of them tries to give himself a more militant appearance and increase the size of his body by bristling the fur on his back, sides and rump. In most cases, such quarrels end peacefully and the animals disperse to their homes - their habitats. Sometimes fights do occur between males. That’s when one of the males, as a rule, is the most dexterous, and uses his sharp fangs, with which he strikes and plunges them into the enemy’s body. During such fights, fangs are often broken off, and the loser is left with bleeding wounds. During all the time I worked with musk deer, I had the opportunity to see five fights without serious injuries, and in one case with a broken tusk. Often during fights, both males hit each other on the ridge and croup with their front legs, jumping high at the same time. Females also fight among themselves.
We transplanted the captured animal into a pre-prepared plywood box, put a sufficient amount of lichen there and transported it to the hut. Soon the female fell into the trap. She was smaller in size than the male and did not have long fangs. We took the captured animals out on horseback, then I took them to Moscow by plane. The animals endured the transportation well; on the road they willingly ate lichen, bread, and hay collected in the forest. In the enclosure, the musk deer quickly got used to the new conditions and began to reproduce the very next year. Now there are more than two dozen of them at the biological station of the Institute of Evolutionary Morphology and Animal Ecology named after A. N. Severtsov of the USSR Academy of Sciences
While observing musk deer in nature, I noticed that the animals always stay close to high rocky outcrops. If the forest gives the musk deer food and a place to rest, then on the eaves of the rock - the sludge, the musk deer, pursued by a predator, escapes from imminent death. Being adapted to maneuverable running through the mountain taiga forest, the musk deer cannot run for long. During a long chase, the musk deer becomes short of breath and is forced to make frequent stops to rest.
As a result, the distance between the predator and her is reduced. In such situations, she tends to go to the sludge, making her way along a narrow cornice into a place inaccessible to the predator, and stands there until the pursuer leaves. A musk deer placed on sludge becomes easy prey for a hunter, who can easily shoot it or even catch it alive with the help of a long pole, at the end of which a loop with a limiter is attached. This method is often used when catching musk deer for the needs of zoos. Only after prolonged sniffing and listening does the musk deer carefully descend from the cliff and return to its original place in the forest.
Very often during trips, I had the opportunity to borrow a musk deer dog from local hunters and specially placed the musk deer in the sludge in order to monitor how the animal entered the rock. The fact is that the cornice along which musk deer reaches a place inaccessible to the predator, its width is only 18 - 20 centimeters. And if you take into account that you have to make your way along such a stone strip at a height of 9 - 18 meters from the ground, and sometimes even higher, then this undoubtedly poses a serious danger to the musk deer.
Having sent the dog on the trail of the musk deer, I walked to the sludge and, settling down at the foot of the rock in the shelter, waited for the deer to appear. A good dog chases a musk deer quickly and does not allow itself to be deceived by all sorts of tricks that the animal plays, meandering through the forest and confusing its tracks. After many tricks, having discovered that the dog is still following the trail, the musk deer runs away to the sludge. Its approach can be determined by the sound of the animal's hooves and rapid breathing. Before entering the rock, the musk deer stops, listens, and then, pressing its side tightly against the sheer wall of the rock, begins to slowly move along the narrow ledge. Having reached a safe place, the musk deer presses itself even more tightly against the rock and stands motionless, like a statue, only occasionally turning its head to the dog’s barking. Very often in such situations, apparently from strong excitement, she makes sounds similar to sneezing, which serve as a warning to other musk deer about danger.
It is very interesting for young musk deer to learn this method of protection from predators. Before calving, mother females stay close to reliable shelters. After calving, they remain with the babies for a long time near these places, and at three to five weeks of age they begin to teach them to go to the litter. To do this, caring mothers give their babies a false danger signal and quickly climb onto the rock, while the musk deer try to keep up with their mother.
Some die falling from the ledge, but those who remain alive get used to escaping danger into familiar, reliable shelters.
It is difficult to observe musk deer in nature - these animals are active only at dusk and at night. Another difficulty is related to the fact that musk deer constantly live in the same areas, the area of which sometimes reaches 200 - 300 hectares. In such a space, it is almost impossible to find and track two or three animals. A hidden lifestyle, great caution, and the ability to quietly leave at the slightest disturbance make it difficult to find her. Only in winter, when the animal leaves traces, do researchers go to track the musk deer and determine the characteristics of its feeding, the degree of use of the occupied territory, and the distribution of daytime resting places.
Experiments in open-air cages are good because they allow you to simultaneously conduct regular and long-term observations of the life of animals and conduct experimental research. For example, in China, musk deer are kept and bred only to obtain musk, which is produced by a specific skin gland. This gland is found only in males and is located on the abdominal part of the body near the navel. Musk deer musk has long been used in Tibetan medicine. It is known that it was part of 150 recipes, which doctors are now deciphering. In addition, musk has been used in the perfume industry for more than a millennium in the manufacture of high-quality perfumes, where it is added in negligible doses to fix odors. All this was the reason for the increased extermination of musk deer in the 18th century. In a number of countries in Southeast Asia, the damage caused by overfishing continues to this day. Due to the narrow specialization in nutrition and other features, the musk deer population is recovering very slowly. That is why experts from Nepal and China believe that it is most advisable to domesticate musk deer and breed it on farms to obtain expensive musk.
Our country immediately after the October Revolution took musk deer under strict control. Currently, in the USSR, the border of its distribution extends far to the north, and in general, more than 90 percent of the total world population of musk deer is concentrated in our country. Scientific research is carried out in six reserves and its protection is ensured.
Source: V. Prikhodko, magazine “Young Naturalist” 1981 - 1
The musk deer would look more slender and graceful if it were not for the developed hind limbs (the hind legs of the musk deer are one and a half times longer than the front ones), which makes the musk deer look as if hunched over. The chest of musk deer is short and narrow, indicating an inability to run for long periods of time. However, in the process of evolution, the musk deer acquired other advantages that allowed it to survive and thrive in the harsh conditions of the mountains for hundreds and hundreds of thousands of years.
Thus, the soft horny rim on the hoof cover keeps it from slipping on rocks and helps it deftly overcome ice. The musk deer has developed an amazing ability to maintain body balance. Easily turn around and run back on your trail, or instantly stop dead in your tracks and hold on to a small rock. Strong hind legs allow the musk deer to make magnificent acrobatic jumps, both high and long.
Protective coloring, in which faintly outlined light brown spots are scattered in disarray on the general dark brown background of the body, sides and back of the musk deer, makes the musk deer practically invisible in the forest. And not only statically, but also while moving. Such colors seem to dissolve a small deer against the backdrop of growing and fallen trees, among the rocky cliffs and stones of the dark taiga. With age, spotting decreases and may disappear completely. Along the neck of the male, from the chin to the front legs, two light stripes stretch, as if dividing the body into two parts. This helps the musk deer remain invisible in the play of sunlight and shadow. The musk deer's belly is light brown or grayish in color. The hairline consists mainly of densely adjacent, slightly curling large guard hairs. In winter, the medullary layer is extremely developed in them, which helps the animal retain heat in severe frosts.
The historical range of the musk deer occupied almost the entire eastern half of the Asian continent, replete with vast mountain systems and stretching from the northern border of the taiga to Southern China, Burma, Vietnam, the greatest mountains of the planet - the Himalayas, India. Occupying such a vast territory, musk deer has insignificant differences, forming several geographical forms, the so-called subspecies.
More than 90% of the total world population of musk deer is concentrated in the northern territory of Russia. Mountain systems of Eastern Siberia, Yakutia-Sakha, Altai, Sayan, Magadan and Amur regions, the Far East (except Kamchatka) and Sakhalin - this small deer can be found everywhere in the mountain taiga forests.
The southern territories where musk deer live are islands of small pockets where musk deer live and remain. In addition to Russia, musk deer live in Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Mongolia, Korea, China, and Nepal. In India, where musk deer occupies a biological niche mainly at the upper limit of the mountain forests of the Himalayas and in the mountain forests of Vietnam, this deer has been exterminated almost everywhere and is rare. The same fate befell the musk deer in densely populated Eastern China. In Nepal, it can be found only in certain areas, mainly in well-protected national parks.
Due to its biology, the musk deer is a highly specific ungulate animal, adapted to living in mountain taiga landscapes. Here it mainly inhabits the middle mountain zone, preferring dark coniferous forests of the taiga, consisting of cedar, spruce, fir and larch. The favorite habitats of the musk deer in such forests are areas with dense undergrowth and thickets of bushes with rocky outcrops. The density of musk deer in the dark coniferous taiga, which corresponds to the ecological characteristics of this species, can reach 30 individuals per 1000 hectares. However, our East Siberian taiga forests do not always meet the requirements necessary for musk deer; it is their variegated mosaic of vegetation that causes greater uneven distribution. Musk deer can also be found in secondary forests that arise on old burnt areas, but the places where they are present are always associated with the remains of old dark coniferous forests. The plasticity of the musk deer as a species lies in the fact that it is able to live in forests without rocky outcrops. If the taiga is windy, where there are many refuges and shelters in the form of fallen trunks, musk deer can live there with the same density as in rugged mountainous terrain.
Northern forests, or, as they are also called, boreal (named after the Greek god of the north wind Boreas), grow in one of the harshest climates on the planet. The temperature range in the Eastern Siberian taiga ranges from - 50°C to + 35°C, and, nevertheless, this deer was able to master these spaces in the process of evolution. Throughout the entire territory from the right bank of the great Siberian river Yenisei to the Pacific Ocean there is a continuous series of vast plateaus and ridges connected to each other by spurs. Here grow endless taiga forests, three quarters of which are in the permafrost zone, consisting of cedar, spruce, fir, larch, growing here in continuous massifs. Dark cedars and dense thickets of fir and spruce to blackness - this is the musk deer taiga. Only larch forests transform such a taiga, but even here dark coniferous giants grow along the valleys of rivers and streams flowing from the mountain slopes. In these gloomy forests, only narrow animal paths littered with dead trees allow a traveler on foot to pass.
The world of the musk deer is the taiga, where mosses and lichens climb high on the trees and dress them in a whimsical manner, sometimes completely covering the trunks, sometimes hanging from the branches with tassels and fringes, making them even more unattractive to the human eye. Strange, depressing forests. In the gloomy thickets littered with fallen trees, even the eternal enemies of the musk deer - wolverine, lynx or the beautiful Far Eastern marten Kharza (a native of the Himalayas) - have a hard time sneaking up on the musk deer. Large predators - brown bears, wolves - almost never manage to catch musk deer. Common sounds that warn musk deer about possible danger in such a forest are the cracking of branches, the rustling of leaves, and the creaking of snow. Only when the wind rages in the taiga, breaking off old branches and knocking down the snow pile, does the musk deer react to the noise to a lesser extent, and the predator has a chance to catch this deer, sneaking up close to it, and instead of chasing it for a long time, starving it out. Constantly on the alert, ready to instantly take off, possessing swiftness over short distances and evasiveness, the musk deer simply physically cannot run for long. All its evolutionary abilities to survive in the taiga did not require endurance; during prolonged pursuit, the musk deer develops shortness of breath, and is forced to make frequent stops to rest. The relentless pursuit of the predator inevitably led the musk deer to death, and here it developed a special tactic. Winding and confusing the trail, she goes to the sludge. Making its way along ledges and narrow cornices, it climbs into a place inaccessible to the predator and remains there until the threat to its life has passed. In addition to jumping from ledge to ledge, musk deer are capable of walking along overhanging cornices, the width of which often does not exceed several tens of centimeters. And if you consider that the trail is at a considerable altitude, then this is a serious test for the musk deer itself. It is on this ability of the musk deer to escape from danger that hunting for it is often based. A good animal husky chases a musk deer and does not get confused, succumbing to all sorts of tricks that the animal plays. Constant persecution forces the musk deer to retire. The hunter can only go out to intercept, sensitively listening to the sounds of the chase, or approach the barking of his four-legged assistant. Knowing the places of settling, you can approach in advance and hear the approach of the musk deer by the sound of hooves and rapid breathing. This method of hunting musk deer is the most interesting and exciting, as it allows you to enjoy the work of the bestial husky.
After a significant reduction in the number of musk deer in the wild, Asian countries began to seriously engage in keeping and breeding musk deer in captivity. And although musk deer is considered a difficult species to breed, musk deer began to be successfully bred in China in 1958. Currently in this country there are more than two dozen large and small farms specializing in musk deer breeding, and the number of livestock is more than two thousand. There are similar farms in South Korea, India, Mongolia, Nepal and Bhutan, which also source the precious musk from captive deer.
To be fair, it should be noted that for the first time, musk deer breeding in captivity began in Russia. In Altai, back in the 18th century (one of the periods when there was an extraordinary demand for musk, and the number of the animal was undermined everywhere), the first musk deer farms appeared. It was from Altai that in 1772 the musk deer was brought to Western Europe, to the Paris Zoo.
In 1976, a farm was built at the Chernogolovka scientific base in the Moscow region, where 2 males and 3 female musk deer were brought, from which they received the first offspring the following year. Over the entire existence of the farm, more than 200 musk deer were born here, including individuals of the 7th generation. All these facts indicate that with proper care, the musk deer is a very flexible species; it is capable of living in new places where it has never been found before. The main difficulty in breeding musk deer is the need to be as close to natural conditions as possible. Musk deer need to live in areas of dark coniferous forest with windfall trees, and under the canopy - thickets of bushes and clearings with grass. Mature coniferous trees provide constant shade. Shrubs or tall grass provide shelter and a source of food. In addition, the litter of a dark coniferous forest contains a specific set of microorganisms that are part of the intestinal microflora of musk deer in the first days of life. In the conditions of lowland European forests, rocks and rocky placers are imitated by boardwalks at a height of 2.5 - 3.0 meters, where musk deer considers itself safe and escapes from mosquitoes, horseflies and midges.
The musk gland, which produces a secretion created by evolution for the prosperity of the species, and which has become a curse for the musk deer due to endless persecution by people, is located under the skin of the abdomen between the navel and the genitals. Musk deer stream has long been valued in the East, and with the advent of the cosmetic and perfume industry - in Europe. In traditional oriental medicine, musk is considered an unrivaled analgesic and remedy for the treatment of cardiovascular diseases, helps with colds and rheumatism, and increases potency. In China alone, more than 400 medicines are known that use musk in their manufacture. Musk musk is mentioned in the writings of ancient Arab doctors. The Greeks and Romans used it to make fragrant ointments. The musk gland begins to produce musk when male musk deer reach maturity, that is, from 2 years of age, and the gland is actively functioning until 11 years of age. The musk gland was removed from musk deer caught in the wild and dried in the sun. From the dried musk gland you can get from 20 to 50 grams of musk powder.
Musk deer were once the main game animal in the vast expanses of Eastern Siberia, providing livelihoods for many generations of Siberians. The history of hunting for this animal tells that musk deer has repeatedly lost its commercial importance due to overhunting. But again and again, like the phoenix bird, it restored its numbers, confirming plasticity and survival, especially evident with proper protection or a drop in demand for musk deer. Currently, the number of musk deer in Russia is probably about 150 thousand individuals. It would seem that there is no particular reason for concern, but in recent years, in addition to poaching, a new threat to its existence has appeared - commercial logging of taiga forests, especially in the Far East. And yet I would like to end the essay about the musk deer on an optimistic note.
The musk deer could also live in other territories of Russia, where historically it has never lived. These could be the Kamchatka Peninsula, the Ural Mountains, and other suitable territories. But this requires resuscitation of the national program to restore the number of wild animals. An ancient and very interesting hunting object of Russian fauna, musk deer deserves to be the prey of not only commercial hunters, but also acquire the status of a popular trophy species. This deer makes it possible not only to hunt it in dense taiga, virgin forests, but also to bring significant income to the regions where it lives. This requires a reorientation of Russian hunting and game management towards sport, and not fishing, as it once was in our country. And this has been proven in countries where hunting brings both joy to numerous trophy hunters and money, partly returned to the wild. Russian hunters must understand for themselves that musk deer, a deer with “saber-toothed fangs,” is a real hunting trophy!
Last updated: 16/12/2014
There is such a scent, the name of which everyone knows, but it is so rare that not many people are given the chance to smell it at least once in their life. This - musk.
Musk produces small musk deer - musk deer, this deer has two sharp fangs on its jaw, which the deer uses when getting food (to pick up lichen or other forest cover).
Contained under its belly musk gland(small, fur-covered pouch). This pouch contains tiny granules of a black-brown waxy substance with a very strong odor. Only the male musk deer has a musk gland. He scatters musk grains throughout his territory, thereby warning other males that he is the owner and so that they think before entering his territory.
Musk grains also serve to attract females to the territory, since this smell is very attractive to them and carries information about the age and condition of the male, and also helps to speed up estrus.
Surprisingly, the aroma of musk affects not only female deer, but also people. This incredibly attractive scent has been used by men for several thousand years to seduce women. Women just go crazy for him.
Many years ago, when Marco Polo was traveling in Kashmir, he observed how once a year (during the mating season) the servants of the king of Kashmir gathered in the forest and forbade disturbing the musk deer. Taking care of its population.
When the times of kings ended, these rules were forgotten. Now there is no one to monitor the musk deer and punish poachers; many take advantage of this and kill these animals because of the musk. The number of animals is decreasing.
Musk grains, which are in bags, are a medicine for many serious diseases, which has long been known to doctors (there is mention of musk in the ancient pharmacopoeia).
There is a lot of evidence of how people coped with serious illnesses using musk-based medicines prepared according to the ancient recipes of our ancestors.
The smell of the musk sac is quite sweet, but when you open it to remove the grains, the smell becomes completely different. At first glance, the scent is extremely powerful, even for an experienced perfumer like me, as I am used to working with pure essences. Fresh musk grains smell like ammonia. In fact, to prepare a liter of alcohol perfume, you only need three small grains (one gram) of musk.
The best way to understand and appreciate the subtle aroma of a perfume is to smell the smell of the box in which it is stored, since the smell is quite powerful and its revealed aroma can be felt this way.
One day two clients came and said that they wanted to buy components for a traditional medicine. They took the most expensive products: Musk, Amber, Saffron from Iran and sea pearls. I didn't ask what these components were for, because I knew that this list was intended for a man who wants to attract a woman.
Unfortunately, due to excessive interest in musk, a large number of musk deer die and there is a possibility that in a few years the musk spirits that so excite the consciousness of the opposite sex may disappear altogether.
Because of their greed, men do not understand that they are destroying their own business with their own hands. They are like a man on a ship who breaks the hull of the ship and burns it to keep warm. He doesn't realize that the fire will go out and he will be swimming in even colder water.
Fishermen at sea also complain:“We can't earn enough to feed our families because there is no fish” Of course! If you caught a lot of fish and didn't let them breed, where would they come from? You killed her.