One of the World's most elusive mammals reveals itself

A captive Visayan spotted deer (C. Turner)

Footprints and scat belonging to the Visayan spotted deer have been found deep in the Philippines jungle. Less than 300 of the deer are thought to remain, confined to just two islands, making it one of the most vulnerable of all mammals.

The discovery proves a small population survives in the wild, despite the ongoing threat to its survival from hunting and deforestation.

An expedition team led by Craig Turner and James Sawyer decided to explore the inner forests of the North Negros Natural Park (NNNP) on Negros Island in the Philippines.

The unexplored interior of the North Negros Natural Park (C. Turner)

"It has been assumed that the species persists in the NNNP but no scientific proof has been presented in recent years, and very little field work has been completed on this species,  says Turner. This discovery confirms they are surviving, but doesn't tell us they are thriving."

As well as the deer, the expedition also discovered some unusual plants, including ground orchids and pitchers, and numerous bird and frog species which they hope to investigate further. 

Read the entire article on BBC EarthNews >>