Rare Deer Photographed

A rare deer called the large-antlered muntjac has been photographed for the first time in the wild, according to the Wildlife Conservation Society.

he deer stands approximately 25-30 inches tall (65-80 cm) and weighs up to 110 pounds (50 kilograms). Its unique antlers are significantly larger than other muntjac species found in Indochina.
Motion-activated "camera traps" set in Laos' Annamite Mountains captured the deer above. This densely forested mountain chain straddles the Laos-Vietnam border and is considered one the world's biodiversity hotspots.

"This region is extraordinary for it’s distinctive wildlife,” said Dr. Arlyne Johnson, co-director of the WCS Lao Program, “We are delighted to be working with the WMPA to ensure a future for not only the large-antlered muntjac and Annamite striped rabbit, but the many other rare species that call this globally important region their home."

Despite previous camera-trapping efforts, no previous wild photographs of the animal are known. The round of camera traps which caught this muntjac yielded more than ten photographs of the species from several localities. The results indicate that Nakai-Nam Theun area of the mountains is a global stronghold for this threatened animal.

—LiveScience Staff

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Credit: Nam Theun/Watershed Management and Protection Authority