Reindeer facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Reindeer(Caribou) |
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| A mountain reindeer (R. t. tarandus) from Sør-Varanger, in Norway | |
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See text, traditionally 1, but possibly up to 6 |
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| Reindeer range: North American (green), Eurasian (red), and introduced (orange) |
The reindeer or caribou (Rangifer tarandus) is a type of deer found all around the North Pole. These amazing animals live in cold places like the Arctic, subarctic, tundra, and taiga (boreal forests) in Northern Europe, Siberia, and North America. They are the only species in their group, called Rangifer. Scientists sometimes call the North American ones "caribou" and the European ones "reindeer," but they are all part of the same species. There are about seven different kinds, or subspecies, of reindeer and caribou.
Some reindeer herds travel long distances, while others stay in one area. Their group sizes can be very different depending on where they live. Reindeer that live in the tundra are specially built to handle extreme cold. Some can even travel incredibly far during their migrations.
Reindeer come in many sizes and colors. The smallest is the Svalbard reindeer, and one of the largest is Osborn's caribou. Even though there are many reindeer, some types are decreasing in number and are considered vulnerable. Reindeer are special because both males and females can grow antlers, which is rare among deer. However, not all females grow antlers, and this varies by subspecies.
Reindeer are the only deer species that humans have successfully semi-domesticated on a large scale. Both wild and domesticated reindeer have been very important for Arctic people for a long time. They provide food, clothing, and shelter. Even today, people still herd and hunt them. In some traditional Christmas stories, Santa Claus's reindeer pull his sleigh through the sky to deliver gifts on Christmas Eve.
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Discovering Reindeer and Caribou
Reindeer and caribou come in different sizes and colors. For example, the Svalbard reindeer is the smallest, while Osborn's caribou is one of the largest. Their fur color and antler shapes also vary. These differences help scientists tell them apart.
In North America, caribou live from Alaska through Canada's northern territories and down into the Canadian Rocky Mountains. There are different types adapted to various environments. Some, like the barren-ground caribou, migrate between the open tundra in summer and the forests in winter. Others, like the Peary caribou, live in the very cold polar deserts of the high Arctic islands.
In Europe and Asia, both wild and domesticated reindeer live across the tundra and into the taiga forests. The Eurasian mountain reindeer is similar to North American caribou. The unique Svalbard reindeer lives on the Svalbard islands. The Finnish forest reindeer lives in the coniferous forests from Finland to Siberia.
Both male and female reindeer can grow antlers each year. Male antlers are usually bigger. The shape of their antlers is different for each type of reindeer. These antler differences, along with their fur patterns, help scientists identify the different species and subspecies.
Reindeer Populations and Conservation
About 25,000 mountain reindeer still live in the mountains of Norway. In Sweden, around 250,000 reindeer are managed by Sámi villages. Russia has about 940,000 Siberian tundra reindeer in 19 herds. The Taimyr herd in Siberia is the largest wild reindeer herd in the world, with numbers changing between 400,000 and 1,000,000 animals.
Some island reindeer populations, like those on the Novaya Zemlya Archipelago, have about 5,000 animals. The New Siberia Archipelago has between 10,000 and 15,000.
Sadly, some caribou herds in Canada have seen big drops in numbers. For example, the George River herd in Canada, which once had hundreds of thousands of animals, had fewer than 9,000 by January 2018. Caribou are now considered gone from the contiguous United States. Some types of caribou in Canada, like the Southern Mountain and Central Mountain populations, are listed as Endangered.
Some reindeer species and subspecies are rare, and three have already disappeared forever. The Queen Charlotte Islands caribou from Canada and the East Greenland caribou became extinct in the early 1900s. The Sakhalin reindeer from Russia might also be extinct. The boreal woodland caribou has disappeared from much of its original southern home. Overall, the Rangifer species is considered vulnerable by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) because its population has declined by 40% in the last 25 years.
Understanding Reindeer Names
The name Rangifer for the reindeer group was given by Charles Hamilton Smith. This word might come from the Sámi word raingo. Carl Linnaeus chose tarandus for the species name.
The words "reindeer" and "caribou" can be confusing. The ICUN explains that "reindeer" is the European name, while "caribou" is used in North America. In North America, if the animal is wild, it's called a caribou; if it's domesticated, it's called a reindeer. The word "reindeer" comes from old Norse words meaning "reindeer animal." The word "caribou" comes from a Mi'kmaq word meaning "snow shoveler," because they dig in the snow for food.
Because reindeer are so important to many cultures, they have different names in many languages. For example, the Inuit people call the barren-ground caribou tuktu. The Gwichʼin people have over 24 different words related to caribou!
How Reindeer Changed Over Time
Reindeer have changed a lot over millions of years, especially during periods when glaciers grew and shrank. These changes helped them adapt to the cold Arctic and sub-Arctic environments. For example, they developed broad noses to warm the air they breathe and special coats for insulation.
Scientists have found very old reindeer fossils, showing they have been around for at least 2 million years. These ancient reindeer were different from the ones we see today. Modern reindeer developed special features to survive extreme cold and travel long distances, like short legs for running and behaviors like moving in large groups.
Humans started hunting reindeer thousands of years ago. In places like Norway and Greenland, people have hunted wild reindeer continuously since the last Ice Age. Ancient cave paintings in Europe even show different types of reindeer.
Amazing Reindeer Features
Antlers: A Unique Crown
Unlike most deer, both male and female reindeer can grow antlers. Antlers grow very quickly each year. When they are growing, they are covered in a soft, fuzzy skin called "velvet," which has many blood vessels. Once the antlers are fully grown and hard, the velvet sheds off.
Male reindeer use their antlers to compete for females during mating season. Larger antlers often mean a more dominant male. After mating season, males lose their antlers in late autumn or early winter. Females keep their antlers until they give birth in the spring. This helps them get the best food during winter when they are pregnant.
Antlers are very important to Inuit people. They use them for carving and making tools like snow knives and shovels.
Warm Coats and Clever Hooves
Reindeer fur has two layers: a thick, woolly undercoat and a longer outer coat with hollow, air-filled hairs. This amazing fur acts like a built-in life jacket and keeps them incredibly warm, even in extreme cold.
Reindeer have special ways to keep warm. Their blood vessels in their legs are arranged to recycle heat, so their bodies stay warm while their legs stay cool. They also have unique nasal passages that warm incoming cold air and capture moisture from their breath, helping them stay hydrated.
Their large, crescent-shaped hooves are perfect for walking in snow or soft ground. In summer, the footpads are soft for traction. In winter, the pads shrink, and the hoof rim becomes hard, helping them grip ice and dig through snow to find food like lichens.
Size and Sounds
Female reindeer are usually about 162-205 cm long and weigh 80-120 kg. Males are typically larger, measuring 180-214 cm long and weighing 159-182 kg. Some very large males can weigh up to 318 kg!
Many reindeer make a clicking sound from their knees when they walk. This sound can be heard from far away and helps other reindeer know how big an animal is.
Seeing in the Arctic
Reindeer have amazing eyesight. They can see ultraviolet (UV) light, which humans cannot. This helps them spot things like urine or fur that stand out against the snow in UV light. Their eyes also change color from gold in summer to blue in winter, which helps them see better during the long, dark Arctic winters and spot predators.
Reindeer Life and Habits
Seasonal Changes and Diet
Reindeer bodies change with the seasons. They store more fat in warmer months to prepare for winter. Their diet also changes. In winter, they mostly eat lichens, especially reindeer lichen. They are one of the few large mammals that can digest lichen. In warmer months, they eat leaves from willows and birches, as well as grasses.
Reindeer sometimes gnaw on shed antlers for extra nutrients. They have even been seen eating small rodents, fish, or bird eggs when they are very hungry in the spring.
Reproduction and Life Cycle
Reindeer mate in late September to early November. After about 228-234 days, calves are born in May or June. Females travel to safe, quiet places to give birth. Newborn calves weigh around 6 kg. Within 45 days, calves can graze, but they continue to drink their mother's milk until the next autumn.
Males usually live up to 13 years, while females can live up to 17 years.
Traveling in Herds
Some North American caribou herds travel incredibly long distances, up to 5,000 km a year! This is one of the longest migrations of any land mammal. Other populations, like the boreal woodland caribou, stay in one area. Reindeer can run very fast, up to 60-80 km/h, and young calves can outrun an Olympic sprinter when they are just one day old. They are also excellent swimmers.
During spring, smaller herds join together to form huge groups of 50,000 to 500,000 animals. In autumn, these groups become smaller as reindeer prepare to mate. In winter, they move to forested areas to find food under the snow.
Reindeer in Their Environment
Where Reindeer Live
Originally, reindeer lived across Scandinavia, Eastern Europe, Greenland, Russia, Mongolia, and North America. They were even found as far south as Nevada and Spain during the Ice Age. Today, wild reindeer are mostly found in Norway, Finland, Siberia, Greenland, Alaska, and Canada.
Reindeer have also been introduced to other places like Iceland and Scotland, where they now live freely.
Threats from Predators and Climate
Many animals hunt reindeer. Golden eagles prey on calves, and wolverines sometimes attack newborns or sick adults. Brown bears and polar bears also hunt reindeer, especially weaker ones. The gray wolf is a very effective predator of adult reindeer. Some wolf packs even follow a specific reindeer herd all year.
Tiny bloodsucking insects like mosquitoes and black flies are a big problem for reindeer in summer. They can cause so much stress that it affects their feeding and calving. Reindeer often move to windy hilltops or snow patches to escape these insects.
White-tailed deer carry a parasite called brainworm, which can be deadly to reindeer. As climates change, white-tailed deer are moving into areas where reindeer live, increasing the risk of infection. Human activities like logging and building roads also change habitats, making them more suitable for white-tailed deer and less for caribou.
Protecting Reindeer
Current Status
The IUCN lists Rangifer tarandus as "Vulnerable" because its population has dropped by 40% in the last 25 years. While there are still many reindeer overall, some specific types are in danger.
In North America, the Peary caribou is Endangered, and the boreal woodland caribou is Threatened. Many barren-ground caribou herds are also declining. The Selkirk Mountains caribou and Rocky Mountain caribou are classified as Endangered in Canada. These mountain caribou are now gone from the contiguous United States.
In Eurasia, the Sakhalin reindeer is extinct, and wild reindeer on some islands have been replaced by domesticated ones. Many Siberian tundra reindeer herds have also declined.
Challenges for Boreal Woodland Caribou
Human development has caused boreal woodland caribou to disappear from many parts of their original southern range. These caribou need undisturbed, lichen-rich forests, which are becoming rarer due to climate change and human activity. The Atlantic-Gaspésie population of boreal woodland caribou is listed as Endangered due to predation and habitat loss.
Peary Caribou in Danger
The Peary caribou, which lives on Arctic islands, was listed as Endangered in 1991 and 2004. In 2015, its status was changed to Threatened.
Reindeer and People
Important to Indigenous Cultures
Arctic peoples have relied on caribou for thousands of years for food, clothing, and shelter. For example, the Inuit and Gwichʼin peoples of North America have deep cultural connections to caribou. The Gwich'in even have over 24 different words related to caribou and many stories, songs, and traditions centered around them.
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In Eurasia, indigenous groups like the Sámi, Nenets, and Dukha have herded reindeer for centuries. Reindeer provide them with meat, hides, antlers, milk, and transportation.
Reindeer Herding
Reindeer are the only deer species that have been successfully semi-domesticated. This means they are managed by humans but still roam freely. Reindeer herding is common in northern Norway, Sweden, Finland, and Russia. Herders move with their reindeer between different grazing areas throughout the year.
Reindeer are raised for their meat, hides, and antlers. They are also used for milk and transportation, especially in Russia. In Finland, reindeer herding is an important part of the local economy.
In Alaska, reindeer herding was introduced in the late 1800s to help local people. Today, herders use modern technology like satellites to track their herds.
- Miniatures of reindeer from Olaus Magnus's 1539 ''Carta marina''
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Milking
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Crossing frozen water
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Drawing a wagon
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Drawing a one-man sled
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Reindeer-mounted cavalry
Reindeer Through History
Humans have hunted reindeer for a very long time. Ancient writers like Aristotle and Julius Caesar described deer-like animals that were likely reindeer.
During World War II, the Soviet Army used reindeer as pack animals to carry supplies and wounded soldiers. About 6,000 reindeer and over 1,000 herders were part of this effort.
Santa's Reindeer
Around Christmas, many people think of reindeer because of the legend of Santa Claus's sleigh. The idea of flying reindeer pulling Santa's sleigh became popular with the 1823 poem "A Visit from St. Nicholas".
Reindeer in Art and Symbols
The Inuit have stories about the origin of caribou, and their artists often create carvings and drawings of these animals.
Reindeer are also important symbols. Several towns in Norway and Sweden have reindeer on their coats-of-arms. The Canadian 25-cent coin features a caribou. A caribou statue stands at the Beaumont-Hamel Newfoundland Memorial in France, honoring soldiers from Newfoundland who fought in World War I.
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Coat of arms of Inari
See also
In Spanish: Reno para niños
- Alaska Reindeer Service
- Caribou herds and populations in Canada
- Rangifer (constellation)
- Rangifer (journal)
- Reindeer Police
