
Pheromone play a role in reproduction of mouse deer
Indian chevrotain or mouse deer plays a significant role in the forest ecosystem as a seed disperser. Though commonly found in forested areas, this smallest wild deer has been listed in Schedule I of the Wildlife Protection Act (1972) due to frequent hunting for bushmeat. A group of researchers from the Laboratory for the Conservation of Endangered Species (LaCONES), CSIR-Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology (CCMB), has discovered the factors that may help in breeding mouse deer.
A conservation breeding and species recovery programme for mouse deer was initiated in 2010 by Nehru Zoological Park, Hyderabad, in collaboration with the LaCONES at CSIR-CCMB, with support from the Central Zoo Authority. The programme started with six individuals (two males and four females) and aimed t...