Antlers and evolution
Posted by Mick Savage on March 5, 2006
Q: What is the evolutionary advantage of growing and then shedding antlers each year? For a large bull moose or elk this can mean up to 200 lbs of fleshy tissue when the antlers reach full size in the velvet. To cycle through this growth and loss of tissue/mass annually seems wasteful, but there must be some reason... do you know?
A: Your question is an excellent one - it really does seem terribly inefficient on the surface! But, that's not quite how nature works. The "value" of large antlers outweighs the disadvantages of growing/having them from a reproductive strategy standpoint. Large antlers are a visual way for males to attain dominance (whether in fighting or just visual impact) and be attractive to females. Since the entire "goal" or "value" of antlers is to make it possible to pass on ones genes, males that can dominate other males and attract the most females are those that are most likely to pass on their genes - it's selfperpetuating. Any males that end up with antlers that actually reduce its chances of reproduction, even antlers that are especially large, will be less likely to pass on those genes. Hope this helps - it all comes down to passing on ones genes to subsequent generations.
John Wiessinger ( March 5, 2006)