Skunk deer, an animal on the verge of extinction
The blue deer stag is one of those Endangered species that have science in suspense. Until recently it was unknown whether one of its main enclaves, while the specimens that inhabit Siberia suffer a dramatic situation that is leading them to an imminent disappearance.
Their long, curved fangs protruding under the upper lip of males in the style of a vampire, it does not allow them to go unnoticed, but they are rarely seen. They are very discreet, shy and elusive, which makes their sighting and control of populations difficult. In this article by a PROFESSOR we are going to talk about this curious animal species that is on the verge of disappearing from our planet.
In serious danger of extinction.
After 60 years without showing signs of life, a group of scientists led by the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) confirmed the presence of this rare species, known as Kashmir musk deer, in Afghanistan.
In Asia there are six similar species and this one specifically had not been sighted since 1948, as concluded in a new study published in the journal Oryx. The species
characterized by both the fangs, whose function is to serve as a weapon in fights between males during mating seasons, such as for a abdominal gland which produces musk, an ingredient highly valued in the Asian market for its purported healing functions.
The current situation of this animal.
The species is currently classified as "endangered" on the IUCN Red List, mostly due to the habitat loss and poaching. Its scent glands fetch around 40,000 euros per kilo on the black market.
The WCS is confident that it can arrive in time to save the species, "one of the living treasures of Afghanistan," they recall from the organization. For this, a greater social awareness and urgent intervention to prevent hunting from continuing to decimate the already small population. The war that is going on in the area, logically, does not help.
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