A Comparative Analysis in the

Morphology and Ecology of the

Philippine Mouse Deer with the
Other Species of Tragulus in
Southeast Asia

Ralen Faye P. Villaseñor

BS Biology Major in Zoology
University of the Philippines Los Baños
1. to review data and information about the
Philippine mouse-deer
2. to emphasize the morphological and ecological
differences of the Philippine mouse-deer from
other Southeast Asian Tragulus spp.; and
Objectives
3. to present existing conservation projects about
the Philippine mouse-deer
Philippine Mouse-deer
(Tragulus nigricans)
▫ Once thought to be synonymous
to T. javanicus and T. napu
▫ Endemic to islands of Balabac,
Ramos, and Bugsuc
▫ Endangered
▪ Overexploitation
▪ Illegal hunting
▪ Habitat loss
Why?
▫ There are only 25 recorded individuals of the
Philippine mouse-deer
▫ Its population size is undetermined due to the lack of
studies and surveys about the species
▫ only a few locals are familiar and aware of the
existence and importance of the Philippine mouse
deer
▫ limited conservation projects are launched and
currently taking place
“ raise awareness about the
Philippine Mouse-deer which then
promotes research and
conservation projects for this
species
 A taxonomic revision of the Tragulus mouse-deer (Artiodactyla)
E. MEIJAARD and C. P. GROVES, 2003

Coat Coloration Pattern Assessment

• 36 selected skins • Used analysis of Variance
• Observed the following (ANOVA) to test differences
characteristics according to sex and age
• Used principal component
 Color code of upperparts
analysis (PCA), categorical
 color code of the throat- neckline
principal component
 Color code of light underparts
analysis (CATPCA), and
 Color code of dark underparts
discriminant analysis (DA)
• Used Ridgway for color-coded for interspecies and
descriptions intraspecies variation
• Used the SSPS 11.0 software
(Data Theory Scaling System
Group)

Methodology
 Activity and Habitat Use of Lesser Mouse-Deer (Tragulus javanicus)
MATSUBAYASHI H, BOSI E., and KOHSHIMA S., 2003

Fall Cage Traps Observations

• Examined traps every day for 113 • Random walks in the study area
days • Automatic camera system
• With step-on triggers

Radiotracking “Camera-trap evidence that the silver-backed

chevrotain Tragulus versicolor remains in the
• Captured individuals were fitted
wild in Vietnam”
with radio transmitter
NGUYEN A., et al. (2019)
• Collected tissue samples
• Locations of the animals were
plotted on the 1:1,000 map
• Home-range size was determined
with minimum convex polygons
(Mohr 1947) and adaptive kernel
Methodology techniques
 Philippine Mouse- Lesser Java Mouse- Greater Oriental Vietnam Mouse-deer
deer deer Mouse-deer (Tragulus versicolor)
(Tragulus nigricans) (Tragulus javanicus) (Tragulus napu)

Average size Length: 40-50 cm Length: 45 cm Length: 70-75 cm Length: 40-48 cm

Height: 18 cm Height: 30 cm Height: 30-35 cm Height: 30 cm
Pelage Color Dark brown to black body Reddish-brown body with Orange-brown body with Greyish-orange body with
with white underside white underside white underside white underside

Habitat Moist forest, shrubland, Dense vegetation along Secondary or mature Dry coastal forests and
*mangrove, and riverbanks of primary or forests and mangrove semi-evergreen forests
*seashore secondary forests thickets

Distribution Endemic to the Islands of Native to Java and *Bali Sumatra, Borneo, Endemic to Khanh Hoa
Balabac, Bugsuk, and Indonesia Myanmar, Thailand, and Gia Lai provinces of
Ramos in the Philippines Malaysia, Singapore Vietnam

Feeding Habit Folivore Folivore Folivore Unknown

Activity Nocturnal Crepuscular Nocturnal Diurnal

Pattern
Social Solitary Solitary (territorial males) Solitary (territorial males) Solitary
Behavior
 Lesser Java Mouse-deer
(Tragulus javanicus)
Distinctive mark: reddish-brown
coat with white stripes that extend
from the jaw to the shoulder

Photograph by Christian Zappel in

Petchaburi Province, Thailand
Greater Mouse-deer
(Tragulus napu)
Distinctive mark: Orange-brown
body. White vertical markings are
present on the chin and neck. Black
marking encircling the eye and
Photograph by Klaus Rudloff in Wroclaw Zoo Poland in 2014 extends to the nose

Philippine Mouse-deer Photograph by Ron Yeo in Sri Lanka

(Tragulus nigricans) Vietnam Mouse-deer

Distinctive mark: Brown-black body with three (Tragulus versicolor)
narrow white stripes beginning from a white patch Distinctive mark: Grey-orange
under the chin and extending down towards the body coat and golden-orange fur
chest. around the neck with three white
ventral markings
Photograph by Global Wildlife Conservation
in Vietnam
Conservation of
the Philippine
Mouse-deer
 Chua, M., Sivasothi, N., and Teo, R. (2009). Rediscovery of greater mouse deer, Tragulus napu (Mammalia: Artiodactyla: Tragulidae) in
Pulau Ubin, Singapore. Nature in Singapore 2: 373-378.

Department of Environment and Natural Resources. (2021, October 5). Philippine Endemic Wild Fauna. Biodiversity Management
Bureau. Retrieved October 9, 2021, from https://bmb.gov.ph/index.php/facts-and-figures-wild/philippine-endemic-wild-fauna.

Duckworth, J. W., Timmins, R., & Semiadi, G. (2014). Tragulus Javanicus (Osbeck, 1765). IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.
https://doi.org/10.2305/iucn.uk.2015-2.rlts.t41780a61978138.en

Heydon, M.J., & Bulloh, P. (1997). Mousedeer densities in a tropical rainforest: The impact of selective logging. Journal of Applied
Ecology 34(2): 484-496.
Kalina, J., & Adams, M. A. (1984). Intermandibular gland secretions of larger Malayan mouse-deer (Tragulus Napu). Journal of
Mammalogy, 65(4), 715–718. https://doi.org/10.2307/1380865

Kudo, H., Fukuta, K., Imai, S., Dahlan, I., Abdullah, N., Ho, Y., & Jalaludin, S. (1997). Establishment of Lesser Mouse Deer (Tragulus
javanicus) Colony for Use as a New Laboratory Animal and/or Companion Animal. JIRCAS Journal, 4, 79.

Kusuda, S., Adachi, I., Fujioka, K., Nakamura, M., Amano-Hanzawa, N., Goto, N., Furuhashi, S., and Doi, O. (2013). Reproductive
characteristics of female lesser mouse deers (Tragulus javanicus) based on fecal progestagens and breeding records. Animal
Reproduction Science 137: 69-73

Kuznetsov, G. V., & Borissenko, A. V. (2004). A new record of Tragulus versicolor (Artiodactyla, Tragulidae) from Vietnam, and its
sympatric occurrence with T. Kanchil. Russian Journal of Theriology, 3(1), 9–13. https://doi.org/10.15298/rusjtheriol.03.1.03

Lemos de Figueiredo , R., Hartley, M., & Fletcher, A. W. (2021). Assessing the behaviour, welfare and husbandry of Mouse Deer
(Tragulus spp.) in European zoos. Applied Animal Behaviour Science, 237, 105283. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.applanim.2021.105283

Matsubayashi, H., Bosi, E., & Kohshima, S. (2003). Activity and habitat use of lesser mouse-deer (tragulus javanicus). Journal of
Mammalogy, 84(1), 234–242. https://doi.org/10.1644/1545-1542(2003)084<0234:aahuol>2.0.co;2 15

References
 Meijaard, E., & Groves, C. P. (2004). A taxonomic revision of the tragulus mouse-deer (artiodactyla). Zoological Journal of the Linnean
Society, 140(1), 63–102. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1096-3642.2004.00091.x

Meijaard, E., Chua, M.A., & Duckworth, J. (2017). Tragulus williamsoni Kloss , 1916 , a synonym or one of the least-documented
mammal species in Asia? http://doi.org/10.5281/ zenodo.5357782

Nguyen, A., Tran, V. B., Hoang, D. M., Nguyen, T. A., Nguyen, D. T., Tran, V. T., Long, B., Meijaard, E., Holland, J., Wilting, A., &
Tilker, A. (2019). Camera-trap evidence that the silver-backed Chevrotain Tragulus versicolor remains in the wild in Vietnam. Nature
Ecology & Evolution, 3(12), 1650–1654. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41559-019-1027-7

Pressenza. (2021, July 31). Love for living animals: Only 25 Philippine Balabac Mouse deer were seen recently. many owe their lives to
pearls. Pressenza International Press Agency. Retrieved October 9, 2021, from
https://www.pressenza.com/2021/08/love-for-living-animals-only-25-philippine-balabac-mouse-deer-were-seen-recently-many-owe-their
-lives-to-pearls/
.

Rabor, D. (1977). Philippine Birds and Mammals: A project of the U. P. Science Education Center. Quezon City: University of
Philippines Press.

Ralls, K., Barasch, C., & Minkowski, K. (2010). Behavior of captive mouse deer, Tragulus Napu. Zeitschrift Für Tierpsychologie, 37(4),
356–378. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1439-0310.1975.tb00886.x

Supsup, C. E., Asis, A. A., Carestia, U. V., Puna, N. M., & Avanceña, J. B. (2021). Geographic Distribution, population and conservation
status of Tragulus nigricans, an endangered mouse deer endemic to Western Philippines. Pacific Conservation Biology.
https://doi.org/10.1071/pc21001

References