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Rare specie of fanged deer was spotted in Afghanistan after a gap of 66 years. The species is heavily poached and is said to be endangered.

According to Huffington Post, male members of Kashmir Deer grow fangs used to fight off males during the mating season. The deer are poached for their scent glands, which are said to be to fetch more than gold in the grey market. A survey team of Wildlife Conservation Society spotted the animal in the Nursitan province of Afghanistan. The team made five sightings.

The survey team reported that the animals were always sighted in rocky outcrops and could not be captured on camera. The five sightings include sighting the same male twice, a female with a juvenile deer and a solitary female. The team was not sure if they spotted the same female twice.

"Musk deer are one of Afghanistan's living treasures. This rare species, along with better known wildlife such as snow leopards, are the natural heritage of this struggling nation. We hope that conditions will stabilize soon to allow WCS and local partners to better evaluate conservation needs of this species," Peter Zahler, WCS Deputy Director of Asia Programs said in a press release.

A kilo of scent glands of the deer can fetch as much as $ 45,000 in the grey market. Only males of the specie grow fangs.

"Gram for gram, musk is one of the most valuable products in the natural kingdom and can be worth three times more than its weight in gold," Stuart Chapman of the UK branch of the World Wildlife Fund , said in 2004, according to IB Times.

The sightings were made possible through a local connect that WCS maintain, as deteriorating conditions in Afghanistan has made it impossible for wildlife experts to work in Nuristan. Through the study, WCS hopes it can determine conservation needs for the specie.