Do antlers serve any purpose?
There is evidence from other species that females prefer to breed with males with large antlers. Large antlers indicate a strong and fit individual with good genes. They also allow individuals to recognize each other and know who they can beat in a fight, and who to avoid. Fights are avoided unless two caribou are evenly matched. Fighting takes up a lot of energy and the animals could get hurt or killed. Antlers are used for defense only when a caribou is caught by a predator.
