Seasonal and Sexual Patterns of Growth and Condition of Reindeer Introduced into South Georgia

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Abstract
The pattern of growth, timing and magnitude of seasonal changes in body weight and condition were compared between male and female reindeer. The data were derived from 300 animals shot during an 18 mo. period on the sub-Antarctic island of South Georgia, Falkland Islands. Growth in length and weight from early fetal life until 1 yr of age was logistic. A sex difference in skeletal size became apparent only after 1 yr of age although by then males were already significantly heavier than females. Organ and gastrointestinal weights changed 1st in the annual cycle and these changes were related to annual changes in forage quality and availability. Changes in body and leg weights and in fat reserves were related to reproductive activity: in males they declined after the rut; in females they reached a minimum around parturition. Although both sexes probably metabolized muscle protein as well as fat during the winter, male reindeer lost twice as much of their body tissue during the annual cycle as females. The cost of reproduction seems greater for males than females reflecting their different reproductive strategies.

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