The Vietnamese mouse deer, Tragulus versicolor, is also called the Vietnam mouse-deer or silver-backed chevrotain. Despite the name, it is not a true deer and not a mouse, but a tiny hoofed mammal in the chevrotain family.
This species is endemic to Vietnam and is known for its unusual two-tone coat. The front of the body is reddish brown, while the back half is grayer or silver-toned, giving it a look unlike other chevrotains.
Vietnamese mouse deer were described in 1910 and then went mostly unseen by scientists for decades. In 2019, camera traps confirmed that the species was still living in the wild in dry lowland forests of southern Vietnam.
Chevrotains are shy, ground-dwelling animals that slip through dense vegetation. They feed on plant material such as leaves, shoots, fruit, and fallen forest foods, and their small size helps them move quietly through tangled undergrowth.
The species is listed as Data Deficient because scientists still do not know enough about its numbers or full range. Snares, hunting, and habitat loss are serious concerns for many ground-dwelling mammals in Vietnam, including this rare little chevrotain.