The small mouse deer of Balabac is known in literature as chevrotain. The chevrotain does not have in any way a semblance to the deer family Cervidae but a separate Chevrotain family for groups of mammals that in French literally means “little goat”. They are more related to goats than deer.
The Balabac mouse deer or pilandok is a major protein source for Molbog, native dwellers of Palawan, before droves of migrants came to settle in Balabac Island located at the southern end of Palawan Island in southwestern Philippines. The locals found the mouse deer’s meat delicious when cooked with “ogsom”, a local spice that removes the characteristic meat odor.
As a result of the high demand for meat of the mouse deer, the local population which thrives only in the island saw a gradual decline. No record of their population status in the wild is available but local folks say that the pilandok is getting scarce in the early part of 2000. Now, the population of the mouse deer is classified under endangered status.
Unusual Mutualistic Behavior
The mouse deer, being shy of humans, normally takes refuge in burrows dug under trees, preferably in the ecotone bounding the beach and the forest areas. A local Molbog guide explained that the burrows that the mouse deers digs also serve as favorite habitats to pythons. These two animals appear to live in harmony because the python does not feed on the mouse deer. In fact, the python guards the burrow because on those times that the mouse deer is hunted with the aid of dogs, the mouse deer takes refuge in its hole. The python lies in wait to strangle dogs that come its way.
Morphology
The mouse deer are like goats without horns with small canines oriented sideways. Their premolars are adapted for cutting plant material. They have horizontally-oriented pupil instead of the usual vertical slit for nocturnal activities. The body is generally covered with brown fur, with blotches of dark-brown and white bands at the throat. The ears stand erect where the inner part is white.
Food Habits
The Balabac mouse deer belongs to a group of animals called ruminants. Ruminants are mammals that feed on plant-based food. After grazing and chewing their food, ruminants soften the bolus (moistened food) in the rumen, the first compartment of its stomach. After a while, the semi-digested cud is regurgitated, chewed again then finally ingested.
The favorite food of the mouse deer are figs, locally known as tubog and commonly found growing along the beach areas of Balabac. Beside the fig, the mouse deer also feeds on fruits that fall on the ground, leaves of small trees, and grasses.
Habitat
The mouse deer inhabits the forested portions of Balabac Island but can be found trotting the seashore to find its favorite food. This is the reason why the mouse deer, such as the one featured above, is usually captured along the beach. The mouse deer is known to occur in the dense, shaded areas of primary as well as secondary forests during the day to avoid detection. They are active at night and are easily detected along pathways bounded by thick forests because their eyes easily reflect light.
Modified from Facts About the Balabac Mouse Deer