Taxonomy
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Chordata
- Class
- Mammal
- Order
- Artiodactyla
- Family
- Tragulidae
- Genus
- Moschiola
Habitat
This species primarily inhabits dense tropical and subtropical forests, including evergreen and moist deciduous areas in South Asia, such as India and Sri Lanka. It prefers undergrowth with thick vegetation for cover and is often found near water sources in hilly or lowland terrain.
Diet
The yellow-striped chevrotain feeds mainly on fruits, leaves, shoots, and fallen seeds, with a preference for soft vegetation. It forages nocturnally on the forest floor, using its keen sense of smell to locate food, and occasionally consumes insects or small invertebrates.
Behavior
This chevrotain is primarily solitary and territorial, marking its range with scent glands and avoiding direct confrontations. It is nocturnal, spending days hidden in dense vegetation and active at night for feeding and mating. Notable behaviors include alarm calls when threatened and agile movements to evade predators.
Conservation Status
The IUCN status is Least Concern, though populations face threats from habitat loss due to deforestation and fragmentation. Population trends are stable in some areas but declining in others due to human encroachment.