That smells intere-- herp derp.

eximago: A Persian fallow deer (Dama dama mesopotamica)...

Sat, 22 Dec 2012 02:27:15 -0500

eximago:

A Persian fallow deer (Dama dama mesopotamica) exhibiting the Flehmen response.

nekogatapusa: Flehmen response by rampx on Flickr.

Sat, 22 Dec 2012 02:26:53 -0500

nekogatapusa:

Flehmen response by rampx on Flickr.

(by greenpointkitty)

Sat, 24 Sep 2011 11:20:40 -0400

(by greenpointkitty)

(by Nikographer [Jon])

Sat, 24 Sep 2011 10:51:50 -0400

(by Nikographer [Jon])

(by Steve - 800,000 Views Thanks)

Sat, 24 Sep 2011 10:49:09 -0400

(by Steve - 800,000 Views Thanks)

ぷち丸、超フレーメン！ (by pucimaru)

Sat, 24 Sep 2011 10:45:01 -0400

ぷち丸、超フレーメン！ (by pucimaru)

Tapir (by Captain Kidd)

Sat, 24 Sep 2011 10:41:58 -0400

Tapir (by Captain Kidd)

biomedicalephemera: From “The cat; an introduction to the study...

Sat, 24 Sep 2011 10:41:36 -0400

biomedicalephemera:

From “The cat; an introduction to the study of backboned animals, especially mammals” by St. George Jackson Mivart

(via The Disillusioned Taxonomist)

Sat, 24 Sep 2011 10:37:00 -0400

(via The Disillusioned Taxonomist)

Photo

Sat, 24 Sep 2011 10:33:38 -0400

(via Goatneck - Life is Interesting in Goatneck, Texas)

Sat, 24 Sep 2011 10:29:49 -0400

(via Goatneck - Life is Interesting in Goatneck, Texas)

(via TrekNature | Like a Medicine Photo)

Sat, 24 Sep 2011 10:27:05 -0400

(via TrekNature | Like a Medicine Photo)

Cat and the stinky foot (by roundup123)

Sat, 24 Sep 2011 09:53:05 -0400

Cat and the stinky foot (by roundup123)

(via Ugly Overload: Behold The Flehmen Response)

Sat, 24 Sep 2011 09:48:43 -0400

(via Ugly Overload: Behold The Flehmen Response)

Flehmen response - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Sat, 24 Sep 2011 08:46:00 -0400

Flehmen response - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia:

The flehmen response (English pronunciation: /ˈfleɪmən/, German: [ˈfleːmən]), also called the flehmen position, flehmen reaction, flehming, or flehmening (from German flehmen, meaning to curl the upper lip), is a particular type of curling of the upper lip in ungulates, felids, and many other mammals, which facilitates the transfer of pheromones and other scents into the vomeronasal organ, also called the Jacobson’s organ.

In the flehmen response, animals draw back their lips in a manner that makes them appear to be “grimacing” or “smirking”. The action, which is adopted when examining scents left by other animals either of the same species or of prey, helps expose the vomeronasal organ and draws scent molecules back toward it. This behavior allows animals to detect scents, for example from urine, of other members of their species or clues to the presence of prey. Flehming allows the animals to determine several factors, including the presence or absence of estrus, the physiological state of the animal, and how long ago the animal passed by. This particular response is recognizable, for example, in stallions when smelling the urine of a mare in heat. To detect estrus the male giraffe’s flehman response includes the actual taste-testing of the female’s urine.

Cats, especially house-cats, exhibit a natural and very noticeable teeth-baring grin - the Flehmen response - in order to draw scent into the Vomeronasal organ. The organ and its purpose was discovered in 1813, although cat owners have always observed the behavior.

This behavior is not limited to predators. Horses have been well known to exhibit flehmen response.