Red deer make more out of less food during winter
Sunday, December 13, 2015 - 17:11
in Biology & Nature
During the winter season, northern-latitude herbivores must cope with a food supply that is both restricted and of poorer quality. The ability of red deer to handle these extreme situations was the focus of a recent study. The study revealed that, even when good food is readily available, the animals eat only half as much in the winter as in the summer. They reduce the size of their gastrointestinal tract and extract nutrients more efficiently.