Deer: The animal whose antlers regrow every year

Deer are graceful forest residents and the animal kingdom's famous "regeneration champions" — the antlers on their heads drop off and grow back every year. Let's meet these antlered friends of the woods.

Its body

The deer's most striking feature is its antlers. Antlers are the only mammalian organs that regenerate whole each year, and at their fastest they grow about two centimetres a day — which makes them an important subject for studying regeneration. Usually only males grow antlers (reindeer are the exception, with females growing them too), and antlers are mainly used for contests over mates in the breeding season. A deer's sense of smell and hearing are both very keen, letting it detect danger in the woods at once.

Where it lives and what it eats

Deer are plant-eaters, feeding on grass, leaves, shoots and fruit. They favour forest edges and clearings, and often feed at dawn and dusk. They are cautious animals: on sensing danger they raise the tail to show its white underside, warning the herd, and then flee quickly.

Where it is found

The deer family is spread widely across Asia, Europe and the Americas, with different species from forests to grasslands. They adapt well and are among the wild animals people know best.

A note for grown-ups

You could talk with a child about antlers that regenerate: falling off once a year and growing back again — isn't that amazing? Linking "regrowth" and "growth" may even plant the seed of a future scientist who studies regenerative medicine.