Look Inside the 'Alien Deer': Visual Evidence of How Muntjac Facial Glands Function
By Alexander Ross
Viral footage routinely spawns bizarre biological myths. Three recurring claims dominate social media threads:
Myth 1: The cavities are empty sockets carved out by botfly larvae or ticks.
Reality: The cavities are deliberate, symmetrical anatomical features present in every healthy muntjac from birth. They feature fully vascularized, nerve-dense tissue lined with short, fine hairs. They are not necrotic holes or wounds.
Myth 2: They are auxiliary nostrils used for breathing while running.
Reality: The preorbital glands have zero direct connection to the respiratory tract. They terminate in blind epidermal sacs. A deer cannot breathe through its facial glands any more than a human can inhale through a tear duct.
Myth 3: The deer is in acute pain when the cavities open.
Reality: Muscle contraction pulls the pockets open smoothly. Muntjacs regularly evert the tissue during grooming, scratching their face with their hind hooves to clear out dried waxy crusts, showing no distress whatsoever.
Alexander Ross has covered the video game industry for a decade, writing deep dives on game design, esports tournaments, VR developments, and gaming culture.
