Philippine Mouse-deer Tragulus nigricans

Mouse-deer (also Mouse Deer and Chevrotain) are very small deer-like animals native to Southeast Asia (and related to Chevrotains of India/Sri Lanka and Africa). Mouse-deer (and Chevrotains) don't have antlers or horns but both male and female have extended canine teeth like small tusks, longer in the male. They are shy, mainly nocturnal and solitary or paired.

The Philippine Mouse-deer, also called the Balabac Chevrotain, native to 3 small Philippine islands, was included as a subspecies of the Greater Mouse-deer, T. Napu, until 2004 when it was split out to a full species. The coat is usually dark ("nigricans") with ginger on its thin limbs and round the eyes. There are white striped markings on the chin and chest.

When the Greater Mouse-deer included 3 subspecies (now separate Napu, Philippine and Vietnam), its quoted height was 30-35cm (12-14 inches) at the shoulder. The Balabac (sub)species was smaller than the nominal. It is endangered by habitat loss (deforestation) and hunting.