A small deer of the genus Muntiacus (family Cervidae) that stands up to 60 cm tall at the shoulder. Bucks (males) have short, usually unbranched antlers pointing to the rear and enlarged upper canines that project as tusks, and both genders bark like dogs at intruders. Muntjacs are of scientific interest because of variations in their chromosomes and because they are a very ancient, primitive genus. They inhabit forests and originate in southern Asia. There are 12 species. Indian muntjac (M. muntjak) was introduced to Britain in about 1900 but died out. The Chinese or Reeves’s muntjac (M. reevesi) was introduced earlier and has become naturalized and occurs throughout much of southern England and Wales and locally farther north, with sightings in southern Scotland.