Vietnamese Mouse-Deer Spotted in the Wild for the First Time in 30 Years

Camera traps set up over the course of 10 months have led to the capture of over 2,000 photographs of the species, but it is still unclear how many of them may be in the area.

The species is an ungulate, meaning it has hooves, and is as small as a rabbit. Its head is russet-colored, while its flanks have a gray pelage. It is thought to be the smallest hoofed animal in the world.

Southern Institute of Ecology/Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research/NCNP

An Nguyen, the expedition team leader, said, “Discovering that it is, indeed, still out there is the first step in ensuring we don’t lose it again, and we’re moving quickly now to figure out how best to protect it.”

One way to do just that is to stop the use of wire snares in the region to capture animals, a “devastating hunting technique” that has led to “widespread ‘empty forest syndrome’ across Vietnam, pushing numerous Annamite species to the brink of extinction,” explained GWC.

The discovery of the rare animal has buoyed hopes that other species, considered extinct, may still be found in the wild. Earlier this year, the world’s largest bee was found in Indonesia after missing for 38 years.