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However, both the female and male reindeer have antlers. (Reindeer are the domesticated cousins of wild caribou—and are usually about 8 to 10 inches shorter.) In early spring, male reindeer begin to grow antlers.
Edinburgh University professors Gerald Lincoln and David Baird told the U.K.'s Telegraph that Santa's reindeer can't be male for one simple reason: Only female reindeer still have antlers at...
Quick Answer: Female reindeer utilize their antlers to be socially dominant and in the best physical shape, as well as to protect their food or territory. Generally, reindeer grow antlers to compete for mates and protect their territory during rutting season.
Female reindeer will see their antlers grow anywhere from 9 to 20 inches long, while males will see theirs reach anywhere 20 to 50 inches. And when they first grow, you'll likely see them with a soft coating, which is essentially a fur deemed as "velvet."
Male reindeer drop their antlers at the beginning of winter, usually late November to mid-December. Female reindeer retain their antlers until after they give birth in the spring.
Female reindeer keep their antlers all the way until the spring. This is because it is important for the female to maintain access to nutrition during their pregnancy, which occurs in winter. They need their antlers to dig and forage for food.
While antlers are primarily a male instrument, reindeer are the only members of the deer family in which females are able to grow antlers as well. The sexes can be distinguished from each other by the size and shape of their antlers.
Males of almost all deer species grow antlers, used to battle for females. But reindeer are the only species in which the females also grow antlers, and an explanation can be found by looking at bovids, a closely related family including antelopes, goats and sheep.
Compared to body size, reindeer have the largest and heaviest antlers of all living deer species. A male’s antlers can measure up to 51 inches long, and a female’s antlers can reach 20...
The answer is yes. Unlike other deer species, reindeer are the only deer where both males and females grow antlers. According to Discover Wildlife, reindeer are closely related to...