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Antler Velvet Color

by Tom
(Kansas City, MO, USA)




In Wyoming during the week of July 4th, I photographed some nice bull moose in velvet. A couple of the bulls had considerable amounts of white or very light coloration on part of their antlers. I haven't seen this before...could it be some kind of fungus or is it just normal color variation?

First image of a bull moose with white on the velvet
Photo by Tom Blandford


Second image of a bull moose with white on the velvet
Photo by Tom Blandford



That really is a good question Tom. I don't have the answer to your question right now but I will find out. A moose with white or near white velvet is nothing I have seen.

I will forward your question to a wildlife biologist I know who studies moose and ask him.

It would be helpful to see the pictures. Would be so kind as to email them to me? I would appreciate it and I'll forward them as well as put them up here if you like... so everyone can see exactly what you refer to.

Update:


Thanks for sending the pictures Tom. Quite a unique display for sure. I see now why you questioned the moose antler velvet color.

Hopefully we'll get some feedback to answer why these bulls had white on their antlers.

Were there others in the group that had this same coloration? Or was the color change unique to the individuals you photographed.




Comments for
Antler Velvet Color

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Thanks for the answer
by: Tom

Mark,thanks to you and Dr. Crichton for the answer. I really appreciate your responsiveness.
White on Antler
by: Mark - Site Owner

I received this reply from Dr. Crichton


? the white on antler is called marbling ? see it on caribou and moose quite frequently ? we do not have an explanation for it ?in some situations look like growth lines on underside of antler.
Dr. Vince Crichton
Antler Velvet Coloration
by: Mark - Site Owner

That is an interesting phenomenon... it will be interesting to get to the bottom of this.
Other Moose with white splotches on their antlers
by: Tom

Mark, we did observe another moose in the general area with lesser amounts of the white splotches, but he was probably 20 miles or more away.

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