In November 2019, major newspapers and television channels New York Times, CNN, and Guardian simultaneously published news about the reappearance of an animal species found only in Vietnam after 30 years of disappearance.
According to CNN, this unique ungulate species is the silver-backed chevrotain (also known as the mouse deer ). This species was first known and described by scientists in 1910, when 4 specimens were collected around Nha Trang. After that, there were no scientific records of the species’ existence until 1990, when the body of a silver-backed chevrotain was recovered from a hunter in Central Vietnam.
After 30 years of disappearance, a unique animal species found only in Vietnam has reappeared. (Photo: CNN)
Gizmodo news site said in the news: “There is no doubt that this is extremely exciting news . ” Meanwhile, the Guardian page ran the title: “The mouse deer species that disappeared for nearly 30 years was found to still be alive in Vietnam” . National Geographic praised the discovery and called the silver-backed chevrotain “an animal that has been missing for a generation”.
An Nguyen – Biologist working at the Global Wildlife Conservation Organization said: “For a long time, the silver-backed chevrotain only existed in our imagination. But now, we discover showed that they are still alive. That is the first sign that they are not extinct . Now, we will quickly find the best way to protect this ungulate.”
This animal’s reappearance has attracted the attention of many major newspapers and news sites such as CNN, New York Times, and Guardian. (Photo: CNN)
However, recently, at the international conference “Promoting the conservation of silver-backed chevrotain and Vietnam’s coastal dry forest ecosystem” , domestic and international experts have issued many warnings about the risk of silver-backed chevrotain from wildlife hunting. The reason is that the silver-backed chevrotain is not currently on the list of endangered, precious, and rare species prioritized for protection, and is classified as lacking data (DD) in the Red Book (species threatened with extinction) of the United States. IUCN International Union for Conservation of Nature.
According to experts, if we wait until the species’ population becomes extremely small and scattered like other endemic mammals of Vietnam such as saola and giant muntjac, conservation work will be very expensive.
This mammal was first known and described by scientists in 1910 in Nha Trang. (Photo: CNN)
What kind of animal is the silver-backed chevrotain? Why does its reappearance make the world so concerned?
The world’s smallest ungulate species is found in Vietnam
According to Tuoi Tre newspaper , the silver-backed chevrotain, also known as the Vietnamese chevrotain or Vietnamese mouse deer (scientific name: Tragulus versicolor), is an even-hoofed animal in the chevrotain family. The silver-backed chevrotain is one of six species of chevrotain recorded in the world. In Vietnam there are two species: silver-backed chevrotain (Tragulus versicolor) and Indonesian chevrotain (Tragulus kanchil). Among them, the silver-backed chevrotain is an endemic ungulate species of Vietnam.
The silver-backed chevrotain is an endemic ungulate species of Vietnam. (Photo: CNN)
The silver-backed chevrotain has a deer-like appearance but is only the size of a rabbit and has no tear glands. The animal’s entire body is covered with fine and silky reddish-brown hair, while the chest and underbelly areas have 3 white fur streaks parallel to the body. Both males and females do not have horns. This creature has tusk-like incisors. Because they have no horns or antlers, male chevrotains use their long fangs to compete for territory or attract mates.
The silver-backed chevrotain is an animal that lives and feeds alone. It has the ability to adapt to many different environments, but mainly in forests and fields. Cheetahs forage during the day and at night along trails or in private areas covered with dense trees. Cheo is shy, and when he meets an enemy, he jumps and hides very quickly.
The silver-backed chevrotain is an animal that looks like a deer but is only the size of a rabbit. (Photo: CNN)
The season of estrus and raising live young for mating occurs around June and July. Before mating, the female uses her hind leg to tap the ground 8 times within 3 seconds to notify the male. This animal is pregnant for about 140 days. One calf is born at a time at the end of the rainy season when food is abundant.
With a body only about 45 cm tall and weighing 0.7-2.6 kg, this mammal is identified as the smallest ungulate in the world. Although not yet declared extinct, the silver-backed chevrotain is listed as one of the 25 disappearing and in need of rediscovering animal species by the Global Wildlife Conservation Organization.
The reappearance of a special animal
Scientists from the Southern Institute of Ecology (under the Vietnam Academy of Science and Technology), Global Wildlife Conservation and Lebniz Zoo and Wildlife Research Institute (Germany) have combined research. Research in the area was confirmed to have found the silver-backed chevrotain in 1910.
Scientists set camera traps between November 2017 and July 2018. They set up another 29 cameras in the same area, and these camera “traps” recorded 208 visits by silver-backed chevrotains, to 15 of the intended locations. These chevrotains are truly Vietnamese silver-backed chevrotains, because they have two-colored fur, and the gray hairs with white tips distinguish them from other chevrotain species.
A total of 1,881 photos were taken. The chevrotain mainly appears during the day. They travel alone on 97% of their visits, with only two chevrotains arriving at the same time in the remaining 3%. This makes it impossible for scientists to count how many individuals live in the area. This is the first time people have photographed a silver-backed chevrotain in Vietnam in nearly 3 decades. This research is published in the journal Nature Ecology & Evolution.
Scientists set camera traps from November 2017 to July 2018 to photograph this mammal. (Photo: CNN)
Currently, the research team will continue to install cameras to survey the number of silver-backed chevrotain individuals. However, the team of research experts said that the discovery that the silver-backed chevrotain is not extinct is good news, but we need to quickly find the best way to protect this ungulate species.