Wildlife Note: White-tailed Deer

What is the primary reason the white-tailed deer is named so?

• Due to its white fur all over the body

• Because it is found in snowy regions

• Because of the white hair on the underside of its tail

• Due to its white antlers

What is the scientific name of the white-tailed deer?

• Odocoileus virginianus

• Cervus elaphus

• Alces alces

• Rangifer tarandus

Which family do white-tailed deer belong to?

• Cervidae

• Bovidae

• Canidae

• Felidae

Which of the following is a characteristic of adult white-tailed deer?

• They shed a set of antlers each year.

• They have a single-chambered stomach.

• They have upper incisors.

• They are always larger than elk.

What is the main function of the interdigital glands in white-tailed deer?

• To help deer identify each other by smell

• To produce milk for fawns

• To help digest food

• To protect against cold weather

How do the coats of white-tailed deer change with the seasons?

• Summer coats are short and reddish brown, while winter coats are long, thick, and grayish brown.

• Summer coats are long and gray, while winter coats are short and reddish brown.

• Both summer and winter coats are the same color and length.

• Summer coats are white, while winter coats are black.

Tags

NGSS.MS-LS4-4

What is the primary function of preorbital glands in deer?

• To help deer swim easily

• To personalize overhanging branches at scrapes for communication

• To improve their jumping ability

• To enhance their sense of smell

Which of the following best describes the visual abilities of deer?

• They can only see in black and white

• They have poor night vision

• They can distinguish among different colors and have excellent visual acuity day or night

• They rely solely on their sense of smell for detecting danger

What triggers the mineralization or hardening of deer antlers?

• Increase in daylight and testosterone production

• Decrease in food supply

• Onset of winter

• Increase in rainfall

Tags

NGSS.MS-LS1-5

A yearling buck from an area with poor food conditions is most likely to have which type of antlers?

• Large, multi-branched antlers

• No antlers at all

• Only “spikes” consisting of single main beams

• Antlers covered in velvet year-round

Tags

NGSS.MS-LS1-5

NGSS.MS-LS2-1