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Malay common name: Kancil

English common name: Lesser Mousedeer

Scientific name: Tragulus kanchil

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rank: Least Concern

Photo Source: A to Z Animals

You have to have sharp eyes to see me scurrying through the underbrush on the forest floor. I’m very small, only growing up to 45 centimetres tall, and my reddish-brown fur helps me blend into my surroundings. I also have a pattern on my throat and upper chest that looks like an upside-down V. I usually search for food at dawn and dusk, when the temperature is nice and cool. My favourite snacks include leaves, shoots, fruits, and occasionally fungi. My stomach has three different sections, where microorganisms live and help break down food that I can’t digest on my own. Animals like cows also have multiple stomachs and handy microorganisms to help them out. I’m a male so I bravely guard my territory against rivals and scare them away by beating the ground with my hooves as fast as seven times per second. If they challenge me, I’ll swipe at them with my tusks to fight them off.

However, when it comes to humans, I’m quite shy and am very quiet so it might be difficult to spot me. You can come to try to see me at Endau Rompin National Park.

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