Information
The
caribou's body is dark brown, with lighter patches around
the neck and rump, and white above each hoof. All males
and some females have dark velvety antlers that are
flattened and project forward. The average Caribou can
live a life of up to 15 years depeding on a couple of
factors. Every animal faces its own set of situations
that lead to a shorter or longer life. If a caribou
lives in a herd that is declining (getting smaller over
the years), it probably will have a shorter life than
a caribou in a healthy or expanding herd. Every year
the caribou cast off and re-grow a new set of antlers.
The annual cycle of antler growth, velvet, and antler
shedding varies with gender, reproductve status and
age. The males shed their antlers in November or December,
after mating, while the females and young may carry
their’s through the winter months.
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