If you needed any more proof that nature is super metal, here’s a video of a three year old bull reindeer shedding its velvet.
“Lewis is a 3 year old bull. This afternoon while handling some other reindeer we were lucky enough to see him shedding his velvet. Just another sign that the breeding season has arrived. It only gets more exciting from here..” – George Aguiar
The velvet that we see being shed in this video is a network of blood vessels and nerves that act as a protective layer for growing antlers. The layer grows with the antlers, protecting them and keeping them healthy for the breeding season. The velvet dries up as the antlers reach their max size, leading the reindeer to shed the layer on anything they can find.
Bursting blood vessels make the shedding process look brutal and violent, but it’s just another major part of the reindeer’s (and most other species of deer) life cycle.
Related: WATCH: “Mounds of Snow” Are Actually Sleeping Reindeer
Image Credit: George Aguiar via Instagram