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Why do deer shed their antlers annually?

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by (726 points)

Deer antlers are all about competition and keeping up with the demands of their life cycle. Here's the breakdown:

  • Breeding Season: Deer antlers are grown by male deer, called bucks, primarily for fighting other bucks during the breeding season, also known as the rut. The antlers help them establish dominance and win mates.

  • Resource Allocation: Growing antlers is a massive energy investment. They're the fastest-growing bone tissue of any animal! After the rut is over, there's no more need for the antlers, and keeping them around would be a drain on resources.

  • Testosterone and Shedding: A drop in testosterone levels after mating season triggers the shedding process. The connection point between the antlers and the skull weakens, causing the antlers to fall off painlessly, usually in late winter.

  • Regrowth: Shedding antlers isn't the end of the story. Shortly after losing their antlers, bucks will begin to grow a new set, fueled by increasing daylight and rising testosterone levels.

This cycle of growth and shedding allows bucks to conserve energy when antlers aren't essential for survival and come back strong for the next breeding season. It's a fascinating example of adaptation in the animal kingdom.

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by (17 points)

 A drop in testosterone, after the rut, causes weakness in the connection tissue and the antlers fall off.Antlers drop annually in late winter, typically January through March. The dropped antlers are called “sheds” and the process does not hurt the buck. 

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by (39 points)

Олени и с рогами животные сбрасывают ежегодно и заново отрастают. Сбрасывают рога свои, чтобы освободить для нового место роста, с каждым рога годом в размерах увеличиваются. Стимулируют гормоны это выпадение и отрастание. И роста цикл вращается пантов сезона вокруг размножения вида.

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