The Siberian musk deer fawn is now out in the musk deer habitat daily. The fawn was born on June 13 and has been bonding with her mother, Anastasia, in their inside habitat. 

The female fawn currently weighs approx. six pounds. At birth, she weighed approx. 1 ½ pounds. The Akron Zoo recently asked the public to help choose a name for the fawn, along with their Humboldt penguin chick, during the “Oh Deer! Waddle We Name Them!” naming contest, sponsored by Akron Children’s Hospital. The zoo plans to reveal the selected names soon. 

The Siberian musk deer are new additions to the Akron Zoo, making their public debut in May. Vlad and Anastasia arrived from the Bronx Zoo last fall, with a breeding recommendation from the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) managed program.  

Siberian musk deer are native to the forests and mountains of Russia and northern Asia. Musk deer are small, weighing from 15 to 35 pounds on average, and are known for their kangaroo-like faces and the “fangs” (large canine teeth) on the males.   They get their name from the musk that they secrete during mating season.  

Musk deer are listed as “vulnerable” by the IUCN Red List from poachers hunting them for their musk glands. The glands were once used in perfume making and are now commonly used in traditional medicine.