Male deer, or bucks, shed their antlers every
year. After the breeding season, or the “rut,” is over, sometime
in January or February, the bone at the base of each antler weakens and
the antler just falls to the ground. Mice, rabbits and other animals nibble
on antlers because they contain minerals and protein.
Starting in April or May, bucks begin growing a new and bigger set of
antlers. Big antlers are important to bucks because dominant males get
to breed with more does.
Does a fox have retractable claws
like those of a cat?
Kylee, 8
The claws, or toenails, of a red fox do not
retract like those of a cat. However, the claws of a gray fox are semi-retractable.
The
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Can a deer shed its antlers? If so, why?
Male deer, or bucks, shed their antlers every
year. After the breeding season, or the “rut,” is over, sometime
in January or February, the bone at the base of each antler weakens and
the antler just falls to the ground. Mice, rabbits and other animals nibble
on antlers because they contain minerals and protein.