Muntiacus putaoensis

Leaf Muntjac (scientific name: Muntiacus putaoensis) is also known as Leaf Muntjac and Leaf Deer. It has no subspecies and is the smallest muntjac in the world.

Leaf Muntjac is solitary. This is consistent with the view that leaf muntjacs represent an ancient group of muntjacs. Ancient muntjacs were small, solitary, and selective foragers in dense forests; modern muntjacs are larger, more social, and herbivores in open woodlands. Due to their canine size and often damaged ears, it has been hypothesized that leaf muntjacs would have aggressive encounters with each other. Interestingly, females also have enlarged canines and display ear damage. Although the incidence of ear damage in female muntjacs is lower, it is still noteworthy, indicating that female leaf muntjacs are more aggressive than female muntjacs of other species. Indian muntjacs and Reeve's muntjacs show peaks of activity at dawn and dusk, but the overall activity pattern shows a diurnal habit. Given the similarities in habitat and feeding strategies, this activity pattern also applies to leaf muntjacs.

Leaf muntjac horns are occasionally cast from muntjacs that are at least 20-22 months old, but this is not a frequent occurrence and is more often seen in older males. Most male muntjacs project their horns regularly and do not mate until the horns harden again; however, the genus Muntjac does not follow this pattern. Leaf muntjacs do not exhibit a normal birth pattern, as mating only occurs in certain months; instead, young are born in all months of the year. Although there are reports of breeding at certain times of the year, consistent with the common muntjac and the Reeve's muntjac, there is no clear pattern of reproduction. In particular, pregnant and lactating females have been observed in early May, suggesting that reproductive output is higher in late spring. Young muntjacs have been observed moving with their mothers, but are generally immobile for their first two months.

The leaf muntjac has some economic value, with its meat eaten and its skin sold as leather. In India and other Asian regions, it is reported to be easily captured with bear traps and is often shot by hunters. Due to the solitary lifestyle and habitat preferences of the leaf muntjac, it is difficult to collect population information. The range of the leaf muntjac may be larger than the known range, therefore, no conclusions can be drawn about its conservation status. The 1973 Wildlife Protection Act prohibits hunting of muntjacs in the range, although there is documentation that hunting has continued since then. In Myanmar, leaf muntjacs live outside all protected areas. Further observations are needed on leaf muntjacs. The rugged terrain and political instability, coupled with their isolated life in relatively inaccessible mountainous areas, make it difficult to conduct further investigations.

Listed in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species (IUCN) 2015 ver 3.1 - Data Deficient (DD).

Listed in the China Red List of Biodiversity (Mammals) - Endangered (EN).

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Distributed in northeastern India (Nagaland, Manipur), northern Myanmar, China (Southern Tibet, Yunnan).
The leaf muntjac lives in remote mountain forests. It inhabits tropical evergreen rainforests, subtropical montane forests, and warm and cool temperate rainforests, ranging from tropical evergreen forests at 800 meters above sea level to temperate rainforests at 3,000 meters above sea level. Leaf muntjacs have also been reported to inhabit remote mountainous areas in the Paleopacific and Indo-Malayan ecoregions. In China, leaf muntjacs have been found on the western cliffs of Yunnan Province and in areas of high flower density in the mid-temperate zone.

The leaf muntjac is the smallest muntjac in the world. It is often called a "fossil" muntjac, with "paleo-muntjac" characteristics. The average shoulder height is 50 cm, and the weight does not exceed 15 kg, with an average weight of 12 kg (±1.1 kg). Their average head-body length is 80 cm (±3 cm), and the average tail length is 10 cm (±1.6 cm).
The ears of the leaf muntjac are small and round, averaging about 7.1 cm long, and are often torn and damaged. They have a long hair that forms a tuft on the forehead. In general, leaf muntjacs are similar to common muntjacs, with reddish-yellow fur that darkens on the front legs. They have dark facial markings that extend to the top of the head, and white belly fur. Hue is variable, depending on the specific individual, their age group, and the season of observation. Female leaf muntjacs are darker in early spring than in early summer. This fur change may be an adaptation to their woody environment, helping to avoid dete