Wonders of God’s Creation

The Strange Cycle of Caribou Antlers God designed caribou to shed their large, heavy antlers every year. The antlers grow back at incredible speeds—nearly an inch a day for almost four months! (Caribou antlers are among the fastestgrowing living tissues in the world.) Both male and female caribou grow new antlers every year. Male caribou supplement their antler growth by leaching calcium from their own skeletal system. At 35 pounds and 3 or more feet long, a fully grown set of antlers can account for 10 percent of a male caribou’s total body weight. After rutting season is over, male caribou shed their antlers. Females shed them shortly after giving birth. Keeping their antlers until then allows mothers to defend themselves and their food sources during their pregnancy. Baby caribou very nearly hit the ground running. Within the first hour of its life, a baby caribou learns to stand on its own. Within six hours, it can outrun Olympians. Pictured: woodland caribou (Rangifer tarandus) Photo by James Capo Text by Jeremy Lallier and James Capo