What Is Different About the Antlers of a Caribou & a Moose?
Moose and caribou are both members of the deer family that live throughout the Northern Hemisphere, especially in Canada, Alaska, Scandinavia and Russia. Although the moose and caribou are related, and they both grow antlers, the development and shape of those antlers differ in specific ways.
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What Are Antlers?
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A caribou Antlers are large bone growths that stem from the heads of different deer species. Unlike horned animals, such as goats and sheep, deer lose their antlers every year, and have to grow them back. This growth takes place rapidly over the course of just a few months. In fact, caribou antlers can grow almost an inch a day, making them some of the fastest growing animal tissue in the world.
Male and Female Differences
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Male moose grow antlers, but their female counterparts do not. In contrast, both male and female caribou typically grow antlers. This phenomenon is unique in the natural world; in all other deer species, only the males grow antlers. According to National Geographic, not all female caribou will grow antlers each year, but this number is usually low--around only 5 percent of the female caribou population.
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When Antlers Grow
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Both male moose and male caribou antlers start to grow at roughly the same time. Beginning in March, the antlers start to bud and then grow in full force over the summer. Male moose and caribou then lose their antlers after the mating season finishes in the fall. In contrast, female caribou don't begin growing antlers until June, and their antlers don't stop growing until the end of September. Unlike their male caribou counterparts, female caribou keep their antlers through the winter; their antlers don't fall off until the week after they give birth.
Size
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Moose antlers typically grow four to five feet across, but National Geographic states that the antlers can spread up to six feet across in fully mature males. In contrast, caribou antlers are usually smaller in size. Caribou antlers grow four feet long and three and a half feet across. A set of caribou antlers can weigh up to 20 pounds.
Shape
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Moose antlers have a shape reminiscent of a human palm. Several tines spread out from the broad center of the antler. Typically, the largest tine sticks straight ahead like a large horn from the bottom of the antler; smaller times poke out upward from the top of the antler. In contrast, caribou antlers have a more stick- and branch-like appearance. A single long thick antler stems out from the caribou's head; smaller branches then spur off from this main antler, especially toward the end.
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References
- Photo Credit moose antlers image by michael langley from Fotolia.com Reindeer image by Dawn from Fotolia.com
