Foresters are thrilled that even villagers living in the vicinity of this sanctuary have reported sighting this rare deer, with tusk-like teeth. The Kedarnath Musk Deer Sanctuary was named after this species, but it was feared that the deer no longer inhabited this area. A captive breeding programme in this sanctuary, begun in 1982, saw some success initially, but was later plagued with high mortality. What was believed to be the last surviving individual of the species, a female, was trans-located to Darjeeling Zoo in the year 2010, so it could find a mate.

Akash Verma, former divisional forest official of the sanctuary, told TOI the musk deer breeding programme began in 1982 at KanchulaKharak, at a height of 2,500 metres above sea, in a bid to increase the numbers of these deer in the wild. Ten big cages were set up. Six individuals were initially introduced in these, and their numbers gradually rose to 24 by 1994.

"The lower altitude of the breeding farm was suited to the musk deer only in winter, when the snow lay thick. In summer, the higher temperature and humidity did not suit them. They began to fall prey to pneumonia, water would fill their lungs. Many new-borns died. Some also died of snake bite and other causes. Many scientific studies were undertaken, but researchers agreed that climate change and the low altitude of the sanctuary made this site not favourable for breeding. The last individual of the species, which officials had taken to calling Pallavi, was moved to Darjeeling Zoo, for better climate and prospects of mating," Verma said.

The former forest officer of this region expressed happiness, however, that marks of the animal's presence in the area and droppings were found during surveys conducted in the last three years.

In the months between November and February, these animals descend from the higher reaches to feed on mosses and lichens in KanchulaKharak. The fresh sightings, however, have occurred in the last two months, offering much hope.

Satya Kumar, a Wildlife Institute of India scientist who has surveyed the musk deer in the sanctuary in 1993, said he found their numbers ranging from 600-1,000 at that time. No survey has been conducted in the area of the musk deer since then.

"The Kedarnath sanctuary is at a height of 1,200 to 7,100 metres above sea. The musk deer habitat in it is of 350 sq km, at an elevation of 2,500 to 4,000 metres above sea. For last 25 years, we have been studying musk deer in the high-altitude Tungnath area, and found about 10 individuals there," Kumar said.

Dhananjay Mohan, chief conservator of forests, who has sighted one musk deer in the early 1990s, said, "These are intensely shy creatures who live under forest growth for days on end. They are also solitary, unlike many other deer species that roam in herds."

Besides the fragrant musk glands that give the creatures their name and make them especially vulnerable to poaching, the tusk-like teeth of these deer have also caused them to go into extinction - traditionally, they were hunted so women could just wear the large teeth as a mark of their husbands' hunting prowess.