A tiny deer species that was believed to be extinct for over three decades has once again reappeared in the forests of Vietnam.
The miniature deer, also known as mouse-deer and chevrotain, grow up to the size of a domestic cat and have a long history on this planet.
As experts suggested, the species most likely dates back to the Stone Age due to its common appearance in cave paintings.
While the Southeast Asia-native species was thought to be extinct for a long time, scientists from Vietnam have managed to capture it on camera for the first time in three decades.
Previously, the tiny deer were brought to what appeared to be extinction by locals and poachers who made use of wire snares to capture the animal.
“For those of us living in Vietnam and working in wildlife conservation, the question of whether the chevrotain was still out there and if so, where, has been nagging us for years,” Texas-based Global Wildlife Conservation biologist An Nguyen said.
“There was very little information available to point us in the right direction and we didn’t know what to expect.
“That we were able to find it with so few leads and in a relatively short period of time shows how a little bit of effort and willpower can go a long way in finding some of these special species lost to science.”
Nguyen’s research team questioned the locals of a remote village and set up over 30 cameras throughout a nearby forest in an attempt to spot the chevrotains.
Fortunately, three hundred deer detections were recorded during the 6-month observation.
“The results were amazing. I was overjoyed when we checked the camera traps and saw photographs of a chevrotain with silver flanks. With three camera traps left in the field for five months, we were able to get 275 photos of the species,” Nguyen added.
“The Silver-backed Chevrotain went from being lost for at least 30 years, to found really within a matter of months.”
Speaking of the cat-sized deer species, Andrew Tilker, the co-lead author of the study Nguyen was working on, added:
“You could hold it in one hand. Because it is so small, it would under natural conditions have a number of predators, including any leopard, tiger or wild dog – or probably even a python. However, most of these species are now very rare or extinct in Vietnam. The silver-backed chevrotain’s only real predator now is man.
“Now that we have confirmed it still occurs in the forests of Vietnam, we can begin to develop an evidence-based conservation strategy to help ensure the silver-backed chevrotain retains healthy, thriving natural populations.”
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Replaced!