Sumatran Muntjac
Encyclopedia
The Sumatran Muntjac is a deer
which can be the size of a large dog. The Sumatran muntjac was discovered in 1914, but had not been sighted since 1930, until one was snared and freed from a hunter's snare in Kerinci Seblat National Park
, Sumatra
, Indonesia
in 2002. Two other Sumatran muntjac have since been photographed in the park. The Sumatran Muntjac has been placed on the
IUCN Red List
for 2008, but is listed as Data Deficient
, as taxonomical issues are still unresolved (it sometimes is considered a subspecies M. muntjak montanus of the common muntjac). Also, the distribution of the species is uncertain and may be more extensive than suggested. It is possible that some previous sightings in Western Sumatra of the common muntjac actually concerned the Sumatran muntjac.
Deer
Deer are the ruminant mammals forming the family Cervidae. Species in the Cervidae family include white-tailed deer, elk, moose, red deer, reindeer, fallow deer, roe deer and chital. Male deer of all species and female reindeer grow and shed new antlers each year...
which can be the size of a large dog. The Sumatran muntjac was discovered in 1914, but had not been sighted since 1930, until one was snared and freed from a hunter's snare in Kerinci Seblat National Park
Kerinci Seblat National Park
Kerinci Seblat National Park is the largest national park in Sumatra Indonesia. It has a total area of 13,791 km2, and spans four provinces: West Sumatra, Jambi, Bengkulu and South Sumatra....
, Sumatra
Sumatra
Sumatra is an island in western Indonesia, westernmost of the Sunda Islands. It is the largest island entirely in Indonesia , and the sixth largest island in the world at 473,481 km2 with a population of 50,365,538...
, Indonesia
Indonesia
Indonesia , officially the Republic of Indonesia , is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania. Indonesia is an archipelago comprising approximately 13,000 islands. It has 33 provinces with over 238 million people, and is the world's fourth most populous country. Indonesia is a republic, with an...
in 2002. Two other Sumatran muntjac have since been photographed in the park. The Sumatran Muntjac has been placed on the
IUCN Red List
IUCN Red List
The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species , founded in 1963, is the world's most comprehensive inventory of the global conservation status of biological species. The International Union for Conservation of Nature is the world's main authority on the conservation status of species...
for 2008, but is listed as Data Deficient
Data Deficient
Data Deficient is a category applied by the IUCN, other agencies, and individuals to a species when the available information is not sufficient for a proper assessment of conservation status to be made...
, as taxonomical issues are still unresolved (it sometimes is considered a subspecies M. muntjak montanus of the common muntjac). Also, the distribution of the species is uncertain and may be more extensive than suggested. It is possible that some previous sightings in Western Sumatra of the common muntjac actually concerned the Sumatran muntjac.