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Because of deforestation and climate change, the mouse deer’s habitat has become a swamp. It lives in a den with an underwater entrance and a land entrance under the swamp grass. It eats swamp vegetation like ferns and vines and aquatic plants like duckweed, algae, and hornwort. It can survive eating small quantities of plastic because of plastic digesting microbes in its intestines. Now, its main predator is the alligator, but to escape it evolved to hold its breath up to 2 hours and spit a foul-smelling dark ink in the alligator’s face. It has evolved a flat tail, suitable for steering in the water, and 2-toed webbed hooves, advantageous for swimming. Its large ears are beneficial for heat loss and excellent hearing. It also lost its white markings on its fur. Now it is brown, with a tint of gold blending into the water like sun shining through trees.