![]() ![]() North American deer, in particular, choose to retain their antlers longer, choosing their safety over being a preferential mating partner. The annual rut is like UFC for elk, but with way more on the line. If the injury happens while the antlers are still covered in velvet, that tine will likely grow strangely and may well fork or sprout sticker points every year for the rest of the bull’s life. The researchers claim that this decision likely influences the evolution of the species over time. If the antler has hardened to bone, the answer is yes. If they keep their old antlers on longer, they will be safer but may be less attractive when mating season rolls in. If they shed their antlers early, they increase their chances of finding a partner in the next mating season but also with a higher risk of falling prey to wolves because they have no antlers to protect themselves. The discovery revealed the tough decision that male elk face each year. Other deer species, such as reindeer and caribou. Wolves hunt male elk with no antlers even if they are healthy, which is contrary to previous knowledge that the predators focus their hunt on weak or sick prey. For example, some deer species, such as white-tailed deer, mule deer, and elk, shed their antlers every year. that make it useful (adaptive) for deer to cast and regrow antlers each year. Analyzing data over a dozen years, the researchers determine that wolves target male elk that have lost their antlers. Antler-beam length in North American elk (wapiti) can reach 64 inches (163. It was unclear why the male elk shed their old antlers in different times, but wildlife biologists believe that they have found their answer while observing the elk and wolves in Yellowstone National Park. This gives the male elk several months before mating season in the fall. Some elk drop their antlers to start growing new ones by early March, while others, mostly the younger elk, keep their antlers until the end of April. Please subscribe for more animal contentElk antlers can reach 4 feet long, weighing 40 pounds, and they shed and regrow them annually.elk fact subscribe. Male Elks: Bigger Antlers Or Safety?Ī study by University of Montana researchers, published in the Nature Ecology & Evolution journal, focused on a decision that male elk need to make each year.Įlk regrow their antlers every year, with the antlers becoming bigger and better, as more time is provided for their growth. In Yellowstone National Park, these predators include wolves, which are among the most intelligent hunters in the animal kingdom. The antlers, however, have an important secondary function, and that is to protect themselves from predators. In addition, male elk may lock their antlers in battle to win the favor of a female elk. A young bull elk wandering around with a childs swing tangled in its antlers was freed by Colorado Parks and Wildlife officials Monday morning, and its 'non-typical antlers' were removed. The first is to attract female elk, with bigger antlers making them more preferable mates. The antlers growing on the heads of male elk have two purposes. ![]()
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