A hiker in Singapore chanced upon a tiny and cute mousedeer in Chestnut Nature Park along the Gangsa track one late afternoon.

The animal is most likely a lesser mousedeer, which appeared to be the size of a rabbit.

The dead giveaway is its skinny legs.

Lesser mousedeer

The lesser mousedeer is the world's smallest hoofed animal.

And this species calls Singapore its home.

However, it is listed as critically endangered here, as its numbers are not large.

As a shy creature, it is restricted to our Central Catchment Nature Reserve.

Up close, the lesser mousedeer looks like a cross between a chipmunk, squirrel, rabbit, and deer.

It is frequently seen moving quietly across the forest floor, eating leaves, and ruminating -- a process of regurgitating fermented cud that was previously eaten to be chewed again.

The process of rechewing the cud to further break down plant matter and stimulate digestion is called rumination.

Mousedeers have been spotted by hikers and nature reserve goers over the years.

Advancements in retail photography and videography equipment has enabled more people and hobbyists to document the lesser mousedeer in action.