What is the name for the soft, blood-vessel-rich skin covering growing antlers?
Answer
Velvet
Antlers, which are only found on the male buck and are shed and regrown annually, go through a distinct growth phase. During the spring and summer when they are actively developing, they are covered by a specialized layer of skin referred to as velvet. This velvet is richly supplied with blood vessels, which provide the necessary nutrients and oxygen for rapid bone growth. Once the antler structure is fully formed by late summer or early autumn, the blood supply ceases, the velvet dries, and the buck removes it by scraping or rubbing against trees and bushes.
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