Moschus

Moschus is a genus of musk deer in the family Moschidae, native to Asia. The genus includes several species, among them the Siberian musk deer (Moschus moschiferus), Berezovskii’s musk deer (Moschus berezovskii), and the golden musk deer (Moschus chrysogaster). Musk deer are small, solitary ruminants adapted to rugged montane habitats. Unlike true deer, they lack antlers; males possess elongated canine tusks and a musk gland near the abdomen, from which a strong odor is produced seasonally for courtship.

These animals occur in diverse montane environments, including conifer and mixed forests, scrublands, and alpine meadows across the Himalayas, Central Asia, and parts of East Asia, including Russia, China, Mongolia, Nepal, India, and Bhutan. They favor rocky slopes and forested areas at elevations roughly from 200 to 4,000 meters. Musk deer are generally elusive and more active at dawn, dusk, or night.

Ecology and behavior are characterized by marked sexual dimorphism and scent-based communication. Males mark and defend territories using musk secretions to attract females and deter rivals. Reproduction is seasonal, with a gestation period of about six to seven months, and females typically give birth to a single calf, occasionally twins, after parturition.

Conservation and use: musk from male deer has long been valued in perfumery and traditional medicine. Intensive poaching for musk, along with habitat loss and fragmentation, has caused population declines in many species. All species in the genus Moschus are listed on CITES Appendix II, with trade tightly regulated. In recent decades, the availability of synthetic musk substitutes has reduced some pressures on wild populations, but conservation remains a concern in many ranges.