PHEROMONES
Animals talk to each other using smells. Black-tailed deer and Rocky Mountain mule deer use special glands on their hind legs to send smells. These smells help them know if others are friends or strangers.
The smell is put on their skin and hair, and they sniff each other about once an hour. A special substance in the deer's gland helps them talk through smells. It was the first time scientists studied this in mammals. Other animals also have scent glands. Rabbits have them between their foot pads, and cats have them on their chin and lips. Cats mark things by rubbing their heads on them. These special smells are called pheromones. They do a lot of jobs, like marking paths, saying who is who in a group, showing where to find food, and telling others if there's danger. Animals have a cool way of talking with smells.12.8
Source:
Rana Tanmoy (ed.). Principles of Veterinary Animal Physiology. CRC Press,2026. — 290 p.. 2026
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