Page 28 - Mammal (DK Eyewitness)

Designs for defense

Antlers are short

Many mammals have defense strategies that deter
attackers without the risk of bodily harm to either. This
is important when members of the same species
ANTLERS AND TUSKS compete for food or territories or mates.
The male muntjac, or “barking deer,” Physical signs include the displaying of
has short, pointed antlers and two
tusklike teeth in his upper jaw. dangerous-looking horns or antlers,
When rival bucks (males) battle to baring of teeth, raising of fur to
establish a territory, and win the
mating rights over the does make themselves look bigger, and
(females) that go with it, they tend
to use their “tusks” rather than their making loud sounds.
antlers. If attacked by a predator, the Physical encounters are a
muntjac’s first defense is to run
away. If this fails it thrashes with its Tusklike risk: if the victor is wounded,
antlers and tries to kick the attacker. teeth although an animal might
win the fight for a mate, it
could then be attacked by a
Male muntjac skull predator and lose
the fight
for life.
Tine
Red deer antler (point of
antler)

CLASH OF THE ANTLERS
The impressive bony Red deer stags
antlers of the red deer fighting with antlers
Indian stag are a visual signal
blackbuck of his strength and
horn dominance. When it
comes to the autumn
rutting (mating) season,
they become physical
weapons. Two rival
males first roar and bellow
at each other, then lower A FEARSOME YAWN
heads, clash antlers, and The hippo’s yawn reveals its
strain backward and enormous teeth. When two bull
forward, each trying to (male) hippos yawn at each A fearsome
outpush the other. other they are displaying for yawn
Spirals in horn The winner rounds ownership of a territory - a
up a harem of stretch of river or lake shore. If it
females. The comes to a fight, the teeth can
antlers are shed inflict severe wounds on the
SPIRALED SWORD (lost) in spring rival, but a hippo’s skin heals
The horns of gazelles and new ones surprisingly quickly.
(the one shown here is grow in summer. Hippopotamus tooth
from an Indian
blackbuck) are not shed
each year, like a deer’s
antlers. Young males
fence with their horns,
practicing for when
they are fully mature
and ready to challenge
for a territory, and so
for females, and so the
ability to breed. The lion and the unicorn
defend a coat-of-arms

Ridges on horn

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