Male lion showing the Flehmen response after checking out the scent of a female lion coming in season nearly ready to mate

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The flehmen response (/ˈfleɪmən/; German: [ˈfleːmən]), also called the flehmen position, flehmen reaction, flehming, or flehmening, is a behavior in which an animal curls back its upper lip exposing its front teeth, inhales with the nostrils usually closed and then often holds this position for several seconds. It may be performed over a site or substance of particular interest to the animal ( urine or faeces) or may be performed with the neck stretched and the head held high in the air. Flehmen is performed by a wide range of mammals including ungulates and felids. The behaviour facilitates the transfer of pheromones and other scents into the vomeronasal organ (VNO) located above the roof of the mouth via a duct which exits just behind the front teeth of the animal

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Size: 5400px × 3600px
Location: Savuti Marsh Botswana
Photo credit: © Sheree Sedgbeer / Alamy / Afripics
License: Royalty Free
Model Released: No

Keywords: air., behaviour, facilitates, faeces), felids., flehmen, head, held, high, including, mammals, neck, organ, performed, pheromones, range, scents, stretched, transfer, ungulates, urine, vomeronasal, wide