What key anatomical features enable a deer to delicately pick out specific plant parts?
Answer
Narrow snout and a long, prehensile tongue
The physical structure of the white-tailed deer's head is specifically adapted for selective feeding, characteristic of a concentrate selector. The narrow snout allows the animal to approach fine forage with precision. This is paired with a long, prehensile tongue, which acts almost like a finger, enabling the deer to delicately pluck only the most desirable elements, such as tender leaves, specific buds, and shoots, while skillfully maneuvering around undesirable coarse stems or thorny material.
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