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Status, distribution and aspects of ecology of Alpine Musk Deer (Moschus chrysogaster) in Uttrakhand Himalayas, India

Out of seven species of Musk deer found in Asia, five are present in India. One of these species, the Alpine musk deer (Moschus chrysogaster), is found in Uttrakhand Himalayas, is endangered (IUCN 2011) and listed in Appendix I of CITES. This species is also listed in Schedule I of Indian Wildlife (Protection) Act 1972. The species has been exploited for its „Musk‟ for centuries and due to large scale poaching and extensive habitat destruction, it is restricted to a few isolated pockets in the Himalayas. To understand the current status and distribution of the species, intensive surveys were conducted in 14 different high altitude sites of Uttrakhand.

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