Gongshan Muntjac: Facts and Information

This page features information about the Gongshan Muntjac, which is native to China.

What İs A Gongshan Muntjac Deer?

The Gongshan Muntjac (Muntiacus gongshanensis) is a species of muntjac deer that lives in the mountains of China.

What İs Gongshan Muntjac Size?

They are usually between one and two feet in length but some males can grow up to three feet long. They live in groups and like to stay close to each other when they’re in danger.

Geographic Range

Gongshan Muntjacs are found in the Gongshan area of China, which is in the southwest Yunnan province.

It is classified as endangered by the IUCN due to habitat loss and hunting. The Gongshan Muntjac is found in three provinces of China: Shaanxi Province, Gansu Province, and Qinghai Province.

They live in mountains over 3,000 meters above sea level.

The muntjac prefers to live in cool and moist forests and thickets of oak and cypress.

Habitat

The habitat for Gongshan Muntjac is small forests with dense undergrowth. They live at altitudes up to 10,000 feet and thrive in areas with scattered bushes and thin woods.

Physical Description

The Gongshan Muntjac has a brown coat that becomes more reddish-brown with age. The face has stripes that are white on the bottom and dark brown on top.

The tail is dark brown with white spots at the base. It has three pairs of tusks with one pair on the lower jaw and two pairs on the upper jaw.

Reproduction

These small animals do not fully hibernate during winter but they do reduce their activity level during this time of year to conserve energy.

They mate during April-May and give birth during the late summer-early fall months with one offspring per litter.

Food Habits

The diet of these small animals consists mainly of leaves, fruits, herbs, seeds, and roots.

How long does a Gongshan Muntjac live?

The Gongshan Muntjac is a small deer that lives in China and Myanmar. They can live up to 8 years old in the wild and 23 years old in captivity.

Conservation Status

The Gongshan Muntjac is endemic to China and was first discovered in 1887. In 2007 it was classified as an endangered species by IUCN due to the degradation of its habitat from human activities which have reduced its population by more than 50%.

Communication and Perception

Gongshan Muntjacs use vocalizations and body language to communicate with other animals in the forest. These vocalizations include high-pitched whistles and howling sounds.

They also use their prehensile tail to communicate with other animals in the forest, for example, to warn them about danger or to show dominance.

It is unknown how well Gongshan Muntjacs hear, but they can see well up to 30 meters (98 feet) away if there is enough light.

Anti-predator Adaptations

The Gongshan Muntjac is a small deer endemic to the Qinling Mountains in China. This area is home to a wide variety of other animals, some of which are predators.

The muntjac’s habitat is changing rapidly due to climate change and human development.

Predators like pythons and leopards are not native to the Qinling Mountains but they are arriving more often now, drawn by changes in climate which allow them to survive at higher elevations than ever before.

The mutual has evolved with these changing conditions to avoid predators.

Ecosystem Roles

A variety of animals play different roles in the ecosystem. The Gongshan Muntjac is one of these animals. It has the role of prey, predator, and scavenger.

These three roles indicate that it can be consumed by other animals in the ecosystem for food or by bacteria in decomposition. It also has a role to consume plants for food which helps to keep ecosystems balanced.

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