Creature Day

 

Here we are at another Tuesday, thus it is creature day and this weeks creature is the Lesser Mouse Deer, this is the smallest known hoofed mammal it grows to just 45cm's and weighs a mere 2kg.

At first glance it appears a mix of deer and mouse but it is neither. It is part of the Tragulidae family which translates to tiny goat.

It is normally docile but males will angrily beat their hooves when alarmed, stomping on the ground seven times per second. This drum roll usually scares away predators but if forced to fight it will use its tusk-like canine teeth to tear at its foe.

Being the size of a rabbit with short legs as thin as pencils it is just the right size to scammer through the tangled undergrowth of the tropical forests of south east Asia.