HABITAT AND RANGE:
Reindeer inhabit arctic tundra and
subarctic (boreal) forest regions in the
northernmost lands around the world,
including Greenland, Canada, Alaska,
Scandinavia and Russia.
PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS:
The weight of a female varies between
130 and 375 lbs. In some subspecies of
reindeer, the male is slightly larger;
in others, the male can weigh up to 600
lbs. Both sexes grow antlers, which for
old males fall off in December, for
young males in the early spring, and for
females, summer. The antlers typically
have two separate groups of points, a
lower and upper. Domesticated animals
(reindeer) are shorter-legged and
heavier than their wild counterparts
(caribou). The caribou of North America
can run at speeds up to 50 miles per
hour and may travel 3,000 miles in a
year.
ADAPTATIONS:
Reindeer have specialized noses
featuring nasal turbinate bones that
dramatically increase the surface area
within the nostrils. Incoming cold air
is warmed by the animal’s body heat
before entering the lungs; water is
condensed from the expired air and
captured before the deer’s breath is
exhaled, used to moisten dry incoming
air and possibly absorbed into the blood
through the mucous membranes. Reindeer
have veins and arteries which are
positioned close to the limbs, which are
arranged to allow heat exchange. The
cold blood returning from the limbs is
warmed by the arterial blood coming from
the heart. The pre-warmed blood entering
the body helps to conserve energy. This
“counter-current” mechanism is found in
other animals including many species of
waterfowl. Their large concave hooves
help support Reindeer in the snow and
soft tundra and are also useful when
swimming. Reindeer make an audible
clicking noise when walking, which is
produced from tendons rubbing across a
bone in the foot. Reindeer hooves adapt
to the season. In the summer, when the
tundra is soft and wet, the footpads
become spongy and provide extra
traction. In the winter, the pads shrink
and tighten, exposing the rim of the
hoof which cuts into the ice and crusted
snow to keep the animal from slipping.
The reindeer coat has two layers of fur,
a dense woolly undercoat and
longer-haired overcoat consisting of
hollow, air-filled hairs. A caribou or
reindeer swims easily and fast.
Migrating herds will not hesitate to
swim across a large lake or broad river.
DIET:
Reindeer are primarily grazing
herbivores. Their diet is most variable
during the summer, when they consume the
leaves of willows and birches,
mushrooms, cotton grass, sedges and
other ground-dwelling vegetation.
Lichens are an important component of
their diet throughout the winter.
REPRODUCTION AND DEVELOPMENT:
Females breed at 2 years and males at 3
years. In the fall, bulls savagely fight
for a harem of 5-40 cows. After a
gestation period of about 240 days, one
or two unspotted young are born on
summer grounds. The youngsters are able
to walk within 2 hours, nurse for 2
months and then join the herd in the
fall migration. The life span of the
Reindeer is approximately 15 years.
STATUS IN WILD:
Common. Some populations of the woodland
variety are in serious decline.
