Antelopes, goats, cows and sheep have horns. Horns are made up of a bony central core attached to the skull and are protected by a horny covering. This is ‘grown’ by a layer of tissue covering the bony core. Horns continue to grow throughout the lives of animals. Antlers, on the other hand, are found on deer, moose and caribou.

Only the males of these animals have antlers, whereas horns may grow on both males and females. Antlers grow from a bony core on the skull, covered with skin. This is richly supplied with nerves and blood vessels.

Eventually the bone core produces the branching antlers; and these remain covered with skin. When the antlers are fully grown, the blood and nerve supplies are cut off and the skin peels away.

After the mating season the antlers are shed, leaving just a bony stump, and the whole process begins again the following year.