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Musk deer facing high risk of extinction
Musk
deer, popularly known as ‘Kasturi Mrig’, is
vanishing from its geographical epicentre of the Himalayas.
About four thousand adult male deer are killed annually
due to their high demand in the international market.
Zoologists estimate the number of musk deer, which was
placed in the vulnerable category in 1986, at 30,000.
Musk deer (moschus chrysogaster) is distributed in the
Himalayan region. Geographically, it formerly existed
throughout the entire Himalayan upper forest region and
was found in the scrub level between 2,200m and 4,300m,
extending from Pakistan through northern India, Nepal,
Bhutan and Tibet. Traditionally the musk is used for medicine
purpose, though a very little musk is used for the same
in the global era. It has been estimated that more than
80 artificial musks figure in the global market.
The ayurvedic and Unani systems of medicine rate musk
as a stimulant and sedative as well. However, the scientific
studies reveal that the actions of musk have a negligible
therapeutic value. Its demand has been related to medicinal
use as a stimulant for impotency and the treatment of
bronchitis, pneumonia and typhoid. While patients with
epilepsy, hysteria, asthma and nervous irregularities
have sought musk as a sedative. It is said that musk is
used in Japan to prepare medicine for heart patients.
The current situation and added that poaching and smuggling
of musk are still uncontrolled in the country. It is reportedly
increasing in Arunachal Pradesh where large number of
pods have been seized in the last decade. The exit points
from India also include major cities like Delhi, Calcutta,
Amritsar and Mumbai. Every five musk deers gunned down
in the country, only two turn out to be mature males possessing
a pod. Hong Kong is a contact centre for dealers of the
musk from India and Nepal.
The price of musk deer in the international market is
skyrocketing, leading tm increase in the poaching and
smuggling from the Himalayan habitat. The Himalayan musk
deer is likely to disappear forever because the demand
for musk deer is high at the international market particularly
in Japan, he added. The Himalayas have completely lost
their population of musk deer and it appears that trade-wise
Japan, more than any other nation, has the dubious distinction
of accelerating the likely extinction of the Himalayan
musk deer.
In the international market, the price of a musk is 5,000
dollar per kg. The musk gland goes under the name of a
"pod" which measures about 6cm in length, 3cm
in diameter and 4 to 5cm deep and on an average weighs
around 22kg. Thus, one kg of musk needs 40 pods. The species
is persecuted solely for its musk glands which occurs
anterior to the anus in mature males. The special splayed
hoofs enable hare-like species to move smoothly through
snow-clad mountain slopes or over steep rocky terrain
alike.
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