About the size
of a large thin labrador, musk
deer (Moschus chrysogaster) have
speckled coarse fur and short
stumpy tails. Their legs are longer
at the back than the front. Adult
males have prominent downward
curving canine teeth, an unusual
feature for a member of the deer
family. Although they are known
to survive in the the Machiara
and Neelum valleys in Azad Kashmir,
in the Gilgit area and the Palas
Valley, Musk deer have become
extremely rare. People trap and
kill them to obtain a valuable
pod containing musk which is sold
for use in perfumes. Although
trade in musk is controlled by
the Convention on International
Trade in Endangered Species (CITES),
enforcement is difficult and the
survival of musk deer are in doubt.