It seems he’s more useful than we give him credit for.

Musk is often associated with religious significance. In Islam, Musk is considered to be the most fragrant of the scents. It was widely used by the Islamic prophet Muhammad and his companions. Alexander the Great, whom Islamic tradition identifies as the Qur’anic figure Dhu al-Qarnayn, is also said to have transpired the odour of Musk. Popular scents in Arab Muslim tradition include jasmine, amber, Musk and oud (agarwood).

Musk has been used to attract wild animals, including in man-made perfume mixtures. For example, in 2018 Indian authorities used the perfume Obsession by Calvin Klein to attract and thus trap a wild tiger that had attacked and killed more than a dozen humans.

Musk sticks, which are artificially flavoured with a substance that is reminiscent of Musk perfume, are a popular confection in Australia.

Poaching the rich sounds more compelling than eating them anyway.