How to Distinguish a Female Caribou From a Male Caribou

Caribou are members of the deer family. In some ways, they look like a mule deer or small elk. They have a soft, thick coat of hair, long legs and hooves, and big antlers. But they are different in their habits. Caribou feed on moss or lichen, grasses, fungi, and leaves and twigs. They prefer the shade to the sun when they rest. Caribou can even sleep in water. Tamed caribou are known as reindeer. Although female and male caribou have a lot of similarities, there are differences that help you distinguish between the two.

Instructions

    • 1

      Look at the size of the antlers to distinguish a female caribou from a male caribou. Both sexes have antlers, but the male's are larger. His can grow up to three feet long, according to TheWildOnes.org. A female's antlers only grow to be about 20 inches long. Also, the sun fades the color of the caribou's antlers. One way you can distinguish a female from a male caribou is, her antlers will fade out until they are almost white.

    • 2

      Compare the sizes of the caribou you see. As with other species, male caribou are larger in size than the females. A male can grow to weigh nearly 700 pounds, and stand 5 feet tall at his shoulders. A female caribou only grows to be 200 to 300 pounds.

    • 3

      Check the sex organs of the caribou to tell the difference between the sexes. A male, or bull, has a covering over its penis. You can see this sheath when looking at it from the side. A female, or cow caribou has a dark patch underneath her tail which is her vulva.

    • 4

      See two caribou fighting in the fall, and you can be sure they're males. During mating season, males fight over female caribou. If you see caribou without antlers in the fall, they are males. The males lose their antlers after the mating season ends. Female caribou retain their antlers in the winter months.

    • 5

      See a caribou with a calf, and you can be sure the former is a female. Caribou calves are born in the summer. They stay with their mothers for the first year of their lives. The mother caribou and the calves form strong bonds.