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Growth occurs at the tip, and is initially cartilage, which is later replaced by bone tissue. Once the antler has achieved its full size, the velvet is lost and the antler's bone dies. This dead bone structure is the mature antler. In most cases, the bone at the base is destroyed by osteoclasts and the antlers fall off at some point. [6]
The growth and loss of antlers for most species of deer coincide closely with rutting season. In reindeer, males will begin growing their antlers in February and shedding them in November or December.
Deer grow antlers anew each spring, often at the rate of an inch per day. Now, scientists want to take the cells that power deer antler growth and figure out how to give that same ability to humans.
This process of growth begins around February when the first antler nubs will emerge from the top of the head. During the spring and early summer, they will grow around half an inch per day ...
Mule deer females usually give birth to two fawns, although if it is their first time having a fawn, they often have just one. [29] A buck's antlers fall off during the winter, then grow again in preparation for the next season's rut. The annual cycle of antler growth is regulated by changes in the length of the day. [29] [31]
The deer require a large amount of minerals such as calcium and phosphate in order to support antler growth, and this further necessitates a nutrient-rich diet. There are some reports of deer engaging in carnivorous activity, such as eating dead alewives along lakeshores [ 47 ] or depredating the nests of northern bobwhites .
This dead bone structure is the mature antler. In most cases, the bone at the base is destroyed by osteoclasts and the antlers eventually fall off. [62] As a result of their fast growth rate antlers place a substantial nutritional demand on deer; they thus can constitute an honest signal of metabolic efficiency and food gathering capability. [65]
This is an accepted version of this page This is the latest accepted revision, reviewed on 8 December 2024. Species of hooved mammal White-tailed deer Male (buck or stag) Female (doe) O. v. nelsoni with juveniles (fawns) Conservation status Least Concern (IUCN 3.1) Secure (NatureServe) Scientific classification Domain: Eukaryota Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Chordata Class: Mammalia Order ...