Indian muntjac Indian muntjac The Indian muntjac ("Muntiacus muntjak"), also called Southern red muntjac and barking deer, is a deer species native to South and Southeast Asia. It is listed as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List. This muntjac has soft, short, brownish or greyish hair, sometimes with creamy markings. It is among the smallest deer species. It is an omnivore and eats grass, fruit, shoots, seeds, bird eggs and small animals, and occasionally scavenges on carrion. Its calls sound like barking, often when frightened by a predator and hence the common name "barking deer". Males have canines, short antlers that
Indian muntjac is among the most widespread but least known of all mammals in southern Asia. It is found in Bangladesh, southern China, northeastern India, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Pakistan, Cambodia, Vietnam, the Malay Peninsula, the Riau Archipelago, Sumatra, Bangka Island, Belitung, Java, Bali, and Borneo. The Indian muntjac is found in tropical and subtropical deciduous forests, grasslands, savannas, and scrub forests, as well as in the hilly country on the slopes of the Himalayas. They are found at altitudes ranging from sea level up to . They never wander far from water. "Muntiacua muntjac" is a terrestrial mammal. A close survey of