The Status of Nepal's Mammals: The National Red List Series - IUCN

May to September, after a gestation period of 175 to
185 days.
Conservation Status
Global: Endangered A2cd
National: Endangered A2ade
Rationale for assessment: The Alpine Musk Deer
(Mochus chrysogaster) has been assessed as
Endangered under criterion A due to a population
decline of 50% or more inferred from a reduction
of observations compared to historical sightings
and because the causes, mainly hunting for trade
in musk glands for cosmetics and competition with
livestock, have not yet ceased. Populations of Musk
Deer occur in neighbouring areas in China, however
there too they are heavily hunted. This is the only
species of musk deer accounted for in Nepal due to
taxonomic confusion and insufficient information.
Legal Status
CITES Appendix I
Listed in the National Parks and Wildlife
Conservation Act 2029 (1973) as protected priority
species. This species occurs in protected areas.
National Population Size
Trend: Decreasing (estimated)
The population abundance of this species is not well
known due to confusion in taxonomy.
National Distribution
This species is thinly distributed in least disturbed
subalpine and alpine parts of high mountainous
areas usually greater than 2,500 m and occurs within
the protected areas of Khaptad, Makalu Barun, Rara,
Sagarmatha, Langtang, Shey Phoksundo National
Parks and Annapurna, Api nampa, Gaurishankar,
Kanchanjunga and Manaslu Conservation Areas,
Dhorpatan Hunting Reserve and outside protected
areas including the districts of Accham, Baitadi,
Bajhang, Darchula, Dolpa, Humla, Jumla and Rolpa.
Green (1986) estimated a potential habitat of 10,000
km 2 of habitat in Nepal but it should be noted that
this refers to all the musk deer species found in the
country.
Distribution outside Nepal
China (southern Gansu, southern Ningxia, Qinghai,
western Sichuan, southern Tibet, and northern
Yunnan), India.
Main Threats
• Poaching for trade in musk gland.
• Habitat encroachment.
• Disease transmission from livestock (potential).
Conservation Measures in Place
CITES bill has been prepared and submitted to
Nepal government for endorsement. Musk deer
conservation sub-committees have been formed in
the majority of protected areas to curb poaching.
Habitat improvement for the species, resulting from
the establishment of community forest programmes
outside the protected areas. Participatory musk
deer conservation action plan prepared (Annapurna
Conservation Area).
Conservation Recommendations
i) Obtain baseline data on species status including
taxonomic status, distribution and threats
throughout its range in Nepal.
ii) Prepare Alpine Musk Deer conservation action
plan.
iii) Identify suitable areas within the species’ former
range for creating additional protected viable
populations.
iv) Discourage the use of dogs for guarding livestock
in high elevation pasture lands.
v) Strengthen law enforcement both inside and
outside the protected areas.
vi) Control intentional and unintentional forest fire
in the species habitats.
vii) Vaccinate livestock to minimise the risk of
disease transmission between domestic and wildlife
in musk deer conservation areas.
viii) Develop local community conservation
awareness programmes highlighting the species’
benefits for ecology and ecotourism.
References
Zheng and Pin 1979, Green 1986, Green 1987a, Deng 1989, Hayssen et al. 1993, Jiang 1998, Meng et al.
2003ab, Aryal 2005, Nepal Red List of Mammals National Workshop 2010,
Professor Karan Shah (pers. comm.) 2010.
32