Huh? Do Female Reindeer Have Antlers?
female reindeer with antlers
It's always easy to tell bucks from does in many of the deer species, because bucks (male deer) have antlers and does (female deer) don't. But what about reindeer? They're part of the deer species, so do they follow the same rules as other deer? If you've ever seen reindeer, you would probably have seen antlers atop their heads. The question is do female reindeer have antlers too, or is it just the males?
It's not a trick question or even part of a riddle. With names like Dasher and Dancer and Prancer and Vixen, it's hard to tell whether or not Santa's sleigh is led by male or female reindeer. However, there is a good chance that they are female. We'll explain why and answer the question of whether or not female reindeer have antlers once and for all.
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Do Female Reindeer Have Antlers?
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 bovids—AKA the family of antelope, goats and sheep. It is necessary for females in this family to have horns to defend their food source. The female reindeer uses her antlers for this same reason.
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Are Male and Female Reindeer Antlers the Same?
Although all reindeer grow antlers, there are differences between the antlers of the males and females. Males grow longer and thicker antlers which they use for fighting. Their antlers can grow to be as large as 51 inches long, whereas a female's antlers only grow to around 20 inches long.
Another difference is that males grow their antlers in the spring and drop them in December. Females, on the other hand, keep their antlers until spring after their calves are born. Then, they start growing new ones immediately.
This raises the question of whether or not Santa's team of reindeer may, in fact, be female. If the males drop their antlers before Christmas and the females hang onto them for much longer, it would appear that Santa's sleigh is being led by the girls!
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What Are Reindeer Antlers Made Of?
Antlers of all deer are made of bone, but they aren't permanent. At some point during the year, a reindeer will shed its antlers and grow new ones to take their place. The new growth will be covered in what is called "velvet," which is a thin soft layer of skin and blood vessels. The velvet gets scraped off over time, leaving the hard bone material.
How Many Calves Do Reindeer Have?
Most of the time, a mama reindeer will drop just one calf a year—although it is possible for her to have twins, the vast majority have just one. Amazingly, the calf can stand within minutes of being born and can run as fast as an Olympic sprinter after just a half hour. Then, by the end of the day, the calf can keep up with the whole herd.
What Is a Female Reindeer Called?
Another difference between reindeer and other deer species is what the males and females are called. All other deer species refer to the males as "bucks" and the females as "does." This is not the case with reindeer. They are referred to as "bulls" and "cows," just like cattle or elk. So, a female reindeer is called a cow.
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