# Northern Red Muntjac

*Muntiacus vaginalis*

Males possess elongated upper canine teeth that resemble small tusks, which they use for fighting other males over territory.

- **Taxonomy:** Animalia › Chordata › Mammalia › Artiodactyla › Cervidae › Muntiacus
- **IUCN Red List status:** Least Concern
- **Population trend:** stable
- **Biome:** forest
- **Habitat:** Tropical and subtropical broadleaf forests, scrublands, and hilly terrains usually near a permanent water source.
- **Diet:** Omnivorous herbivore; primarily consumes grasses, fallen fruits, shoots, and seeds, but occasionally eats bird eggs.
- **Range:** India, Nepal, Bhutan, Myanmar, Thailand, Vietnam, Southwest China
- **Size:** 40-60 cm shoulder height; weight 14-28 kg
- **Lifespan:** 10-15 years
- **Active:** crepuscular
- **Threats:** Illegal hunting for meat and skins, and habitat fragmentation due to agricultural expansion.
- **Safe to approach?:** Harmless and extremely shy. Maintain a respectful distance of 15 meters to avoid stressing the animal. If you hear a loud, dog-like bark, you have likely startled one. They are not aggressive toward humans.

## About

The Northern red muntjac ( Muntiacus vaginalis ) is a species of muntjac. It is found in numerous countries of south-central and southeast Asia.

## Sources

- Plate: https://gaia-dex.com/species/34d5d6dc-1f45-499f-98d1-bd4ec5a2a5ae
- iNaturalist: https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/74659
- Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Muntiacus vaginalis
- Conservation status: IUCN Red List category, as recorded by Gaia-Dex
- Photo: https://inaturalist-open-data.s3.amazonaws.com/photos/56094041/medium.jpg (Pieter Prins, CC-BY-SA, via iNaturalist)

Habitat, diet, size and similar notes are AI-written summaries; check them against the linked sources before relying on them.