The mammals are the class of vertebrate animals characterized by the presence of mammary glands, the presence of hair or fur; specialized teeth; the presence of a neocortex region in the brain; and endothermic or 'warm-blooded' bodies. The brain regulates endothermic and circulatory system, including a four-chambered heart. In India there are 410 species, 186 genera, 45 families and 13 orders of which nearly 89 species are listed as threatened in the International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (IUCN) Red List of Threatened Animals (IUCN 2006).

The Indian spotted chevrotain (Moschiola indica) also known as mouse deer is a species of even-toed ungulate in the family Tragulidae found in India and possibly Nepal. It has a body length of 23 in (57.5 cms), with a tail length of 1 in (2.5 cm); it weighs around 7 lb (3 kg). It lives in rain forests and is nocturnal.

IUCN Status: Least Concern (LC) Photo: P. Jeganathan