What is the soft, fuzzy skin covering antlers during their spring growth phase called?
Answer
Velvet.
During the spring, when the annual antler growth cycle begins for bucks, the developing bone structure is entirely covered by a specialized skin known as velvet. This velvet is rich in blood vessels and nerves, functioning as the life-support system for the rapidly growing bone underneath. It supplies essential blood flow and nutrients required for the substantial increase in mass and structure that the antlers undergo throughout the growth period. Once the bone structure is fully formed and hardened by late summer or early autumn, the velvet dries up and is shed.
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