Deer Musk: What It Is, Where It Comes From, Why It Matters

Musk deer standing in undergrowth — Musk deer. The scent gland, not the antlers, made the species famous. Photo: Didier Descouens — CC BY-SA 4.0

Musk is a waxy secretion from a gland on a small antlerless deer, worth more than gold by weight for centuries. Today the trade is banned, the chemistry is synthetic, and the animal is still in trouble.

Red deer stag in woodland — Red deer rely on scent for territory and mate signalling too. Photo: Lviatour — CC BY-SA 3.0

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Photography credits: Didier Descouens (CC BY-SA 4.0) via Wikimedia Commons