Indian spotted chevrotain pictures and facts

The Indian spotted chevrotain (Moschiola meminna), which is primarily found in India, is a member of the Traulidae family. There is also some evidence that the species lives in Nepal as well although this has not been confirmed. It typically weighs around 7 pounds or 3 kilograms and measures approximately 23 inches or 57.5 centimeters in length and has a relatively short tail, about 1 inch or 2.5 centimeters.

The Indian spotted chevrotain lives mostly within semi-evergreen, moist evergreen, and tropical deciduous forests in India. It is known to prefer rocky areas such as grass-covered hillsides and is also found near water sources such as rivers and streams and primarily is a nocturnal animal.

As is the case with the majority of forest creatures, the adult usually remains solitary except during mating season. The animal remains concealed for the majority of the day, typically within rock crevices or in tree hollows. Because of their dappled coloring, they are easily able to camouflage themselves against the leaves on the forest floor. This ability to conceal itself has probably been a leading cause in its ability to maintain the population of the species. The chevrotain is a shy animal that shuns open locations and runs for cover if any sound is heard or an unknown presence approaches. The Indian spotted chevrotain has an average gestation period of 5 months with the females typically giving birth to twins. It has a number of predators including reptiles, birds, and leopards. Along with the leopard, one of their largest predators is the human. The chevrotain is widely hunted in the area, through either the use of traps or with dogs and machetes.

Despite the fact that the animal is not without its predators, the chevrotain is not currently listed as a rare or endangered species. The population of the creature is too large as is its range, giving the species the classification of Least Concern. Although little information has been collected regarding the population of the species, there is little evidence that the number of Indian spotted chevrotains will diminish far enough to be classified as Near Threatened. The primary cause for the success of the species is its habitat which has proved to be relatively stable within the range of the species. Despite this positive prognosis for the species, scientists still wish to more thoroughly understand the status of Indian spotted chevrotain populations.

Picture of the Indian spotted chevrotain by Drew Avery, licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic license.