Larger Malay Mouse-Deer

The larger Malay mouse-deer is a tiny hoofed mammal that is approximately the size of a rabbit. It has remarkably thin, elongated legs, a short and rounded body, and a small head with a triangular shape. Its face is characterized by a small black nose and large, noticeable eyes. The animal's coat is generally orange-brown, while the lower portions of the body, including the belly, chest, and throat, are paler and feature white markings.

Eira Collins

Margin note

Unlike most hoofed mammals, larger Malay mouse-deer do not develop horns or antlers. Males instead have small but elongated canine teeth that project downward from the upper jaw. These tusk-like teeth are primarily used when males compete or fight with one another. Their body posture is also distinctive, with the hindquarters positioned higher than the shoulders when they are standing.

Size

A fully grown larger Malay mouse-deer generally measures about 29 inches (75 centimeters) from head to body, with the tail adding another approximately 3.5 inches (9 centimeters). Their shoulder height is around 13 inches (34 centimeters).

Natural Range and Habitat

Larger Malay mouse-deer occur in various areas of Southeast and South Asia, including Thailand, Indochina, Sri Lanka, the Malay Peninsula, Sumatra, and Borneo. They favor habitats located close to water and typically remain concealed within the dense vegetation of tropical forests.

As they travel through thick forest vegetation, they create narrow passages and small trails that connect areas used for feeding and resting.

Lifespan

Under human care, larger Malay mouse-deer may live for as long as 16 years.

Diet and Feeding Behavior

In the wild, larger Malay mouse-deer consume a broad selection of plant material. Their natural diet consists of fallen fruit, berries, aquatic plants, leaves, tender shoots, shrubs, and grasses.

At the Smithsonian's National Zoo, their diet is supplemented with fresh browse, alfalfa, kale, sweet potatoes, carrots, and banana peels. These foods help provide nutritional variety while approximating the types of vegetation available in their natural habitat.

Social Behavior

Larger Malay mouse-deer are typically solitary and generally associate with other individuals only during the breeding season. Although they do not maintain a rigid social hierarchy, both males and females actively defend individual territories.

Males mark and maintain their territories using scent signals from feces, urine, and secretions released by a gland beneath the jaw. When another male approaches and poses a threat, a resident male may rapidly stamp his feet against the ground as a warning. If the confrontation becomes more serious, the males can engage in short physical fights, using their sharp canine teeth.

Reproduction and Growth

Male larger Malay mouse-deer possess a noticeable scent gland beneath the lower jaw. During courtship, the male rubs this gland against the female before mating. Reproduction can take place throughout the year, and the gestation period lasts roughly five months. Females may become pregnant again soon after giving birth, meaning that they can spend much of their adult lives carrying developing offspring.

Most females produce a single young at a time, although twins are occasionally born. Newborn mouse-deer are relatively well developed and can stand and move around within approximately 30 minutes of birth.

Young individuals are generally weaned at around two to three months of age and reach sexual maturity at approximately four and a half months.

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