Deer Glow: Ultraviolet Signposts Reveal Hidden Forest Communication
University of Georgia researchers found that white-tailed deer rubs and ground scrapes glow under ultraviolet light (365 and 395 nm), suggesting deer may communicate using UV-visible ‘signposts’ in the forest. Irradiance measurements showed these spots were brighter than the surroundings, though whether the glow comes from deer secretions, plant compounds, or both remains unclear. The study analyzed 109 rubs and 37 scrapes in a Whitehall Forest during two fall surveys in 2024, and the findings point to a possible new form of deer communication, published in Ecology and Evolution.
