Alert odor from skin gland in deer

Black-tailed deer (Odocoileus hemionus columbianus) discharge an odor from the metatarsal (MT) gland, located on the hindleg, when disturbed or alarmed. Freely moving, captive deer were exposed to the MT odor by means of a remote-release apparatus. Responses by males and females to MT odor from both sexes were recorded with a coding system and a video camera. When the odor was present, females became more alert and left the site more often than in the presence of control odors, odorless air, or deer urine. It is concluded that the MT secretion provides an alert signal, placing the odor into the class of alarm pheromones. There is no evidence that the closely related white-tailed deer,O. virginianus, possesses this alert (or alarm) odor system to the same degree.