SANTA’S REINDEER WERE MOST LIKILY LADIES!

Both male and female reindeer have antlers.  Males lose their antlers generally in November while females keep their antlers longer.  Santa’s reindeer would most likely be females because the males would have lost antlers and the cartoons always show those reindeer with antlers!  SAY WHAT?  I know right?  My ecologist brain is going crazy.  Male cervids (deer family) have antlers as fighting tools.  The males with the best antlers can win the territory and therefore the harem of females to mate with.  It takes a lot of energy to grow those gorgeous racks.  Why would females benefit from having them?  Well, maybe it is an issue of food.  Reindeer use their antlers to dig through the snow for yummy (to them) lichens.  Females gotta eat too so perhaps that is why both sexes have antlers.  On Dasher, on Dancer, on Prancer, on Vixen, Comet, Cupid, Donner and Blitzen.  Rudolphina?