Alert odor from skin gland in deer.

Area of Science:

• Ethology
• Animal Behavior
• Chemical Ecology

Background:

• The metatarsal (MT) gland in black-tailed deer (Odocoileus hemionus columbianus) emits an odor when the animal is disturbed.
• The function of this MT gland secretion in intraspecific communication is not fully understood.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the behavioral responses of black-tailed deer to the odor released from the MT gland.
• To determine if the MT gland secretion functions as an alarm pheromone.

Main Methods:

• Captive, freely moving black-tailed deer were exposed to MT gland odor using a remote-release apparatus.
• Behavioral responses of both male and female deer were recorded using a video camera and a coding system.
• Responses were compared between exposure to MT odor, control odors, odorless air, and deer urine.

Main Results:

• Female black-tailed deer exhibited increased alertness when exposed to MT gland odor.
• Females were more likely to leave the site when MT odor was present compared to control stimuli.
• No significant differences in response were noted for males.

Conclusions:

• The MT gland secretion in black-tailed deer functions as an alert signal, classifying it as an alarm pheromone.
• This alarm pheromone system appears to be more pronounced in black-tailed deer than in the closely related white-tailed deer (O. virginianus).