10 Teeny Tiny Chevrotains: Meet The Smallest Hoofed Mammals On Earth

A group of teeny tiny mouse-deer in the family Tragulidae numbers 10 species that live in warmer parts of Southeast Asia, India, and Africa. They are small, delicate, and extremely elusive: they are the chevrotains.

Technically, these animals are neither related to mice nor deer, instead existing in their own taxonomic family (Tragulidae). However, like deer, they are classed as ungulates and ruminants and possess a four-chambered stomach. 

These typically solitary and shy herbivores really are small, generally measuring only around 30 centimeters (12 inches) tall at the shoulder. Their petite nature extends to their weight too; the smallest hoofed mammal in the world, the Java mouse deer (Tragulus javanicus) weighs just 1 to 2 kilograms (2.2 to 4.4 pounds), while the largest, the water chevrotain (Hyemoschus aquaticus), is still only around 7 to 15 kilograms (15.4 to 33 pounds).

What they lack in stature, they make up for in funky accessories. While they don't have antlers like some other ungulate species, these tiny ungulates do possess fangs. These are tusk-like teeth that are used by the males in fights for females and territory.

Chevrotains can also be elusive; the silver-backed chevrotain (Tragulus versicolor), also known as the Vietnamese mouse-deer, was part of a mission to rediscover a lost species. There had only been one record of the species from 1907, but thanks to camera traps and work with the local communities within Vietnam, researchers were once again able to find the “chevrotain with silver flanks” back in 2019.

"For so long, this species has seemingly only existed as part of our imagination. 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," An Nguyen, expedition team lead, said in a statement at the time.

While there are many species, each with its own conservation status, the Balabac mouse-deer (Tragulus nigricans) is listed as "Endangered" by the IUCN. This is largely due to its small range in the islands of the Philippines. It is threatened by poaching for food, and for zoos and private collections. The species is also threatened by loss of habitat, with the conversion of their former forest and shrubland home to coconut plantations. 

The Balabac mouse-deer is one of nine chevrotain species that live within Asia, which are primarily found in the southeast and India. Only one can be found in Africa: the water chevrotain, which lives along the banks of streams. To escape predators, it hides in the water where it can remain submerged for around 4 minutes.