Why Does This Deer Have Moving Holes on Its Face? the Viral Muntjac Mystery Explained

Is why Does This Deer Have Moving Holes on Its Face? the Viral Muntjac Mystery Explained something you want to understand? Read expert analysis in our feature story.

In April 2023, viral video clips showing a creature dubbed the "alien deer" exploded across Reddit’s r/mildlyterrifying and TikTok, quickly triggering national news coverage from the San Antonio Express-News, Click2Houston, and local media. The animal, an affectionate male Reeves's muntjac (Muntiacus reevesi) named Biscuit, lived on a private property near Conroe, Texas. While Biscuit calmly chewed fruit offered by his caretakers, the deep crevices under his orbits and the vertical furrows along his brow expanded violently into bulbous, wet cavities.

Speculation ran wild. Commenters questioned whether the animal had suffered severe shotgun wounds, survived a botfly infestation, or mutated into a real-life creature from James Cameron's Avatar. Some online creators claimed the footage proved the deer possessed five functioning noses. In reality, Texas is home to thousands of non-native exotic hoofstock imported for private ranches, petting zoos, and specialized breeding programs. Biscuit was simply exhibiting everyday deer communication while inhaling the sweet aroma of fruit, demonstrating what wildlife biologists classify as suborbital gland flare.

The visual shock stems directly from human unfamiliarity. Most people encounter white-tailed deer or red deer, whose scent glands remain discreetly hidden under hair follicles. In muntjacs, these organs are massive relative to body size, fully articulate, and directly tied to facial motor nerves that activate whenever the animal eats, sniffs, or asserts dominance.