Reindeer

The reindeer or caribou (Rangifer tarandus) is a special kind of deer that lives in cold places around the world. You can find them in Arctic, subarctic, tundra, boreal, and mountainous areas of Northern Europe, Siberia, and North America. They are the only deer in the genus Rangifer. All caribou and reindeer across the world are considered the same species, but there are 7 different subspecies.

Reindeer come in both groups that move long distances and groups that stay in one place. The ones that live in the tundra are made to handle very cold weather and can travel far. They differ in size and color, from the smallest, the Svalbard reindeer, to the largest, Osborn's caribou.

Reindeer are special because, unlike other deer, the females sometimes grow antlers. Even though there are many reindeer, some types are becoming rarer and are considered vulnerable. These animals have been very important to Arctic people for food, clothing, and shelter for a very long time. Today, they are still raised and hunted by people. In some traditional Christmas stories, Santa Claus's reindeer pull his sleigh to deliver gifts to children on Christmas Eve.

Description

Reindeer, also called caribou, are special types of deer that live in cold areas around the world. They come in different sizes and colors, and some have big antlers on their heads. In North America, they live in places like Alaska, the Yukon, and northern Canada, moving between forests and open lands depending on the season.

Both male and female reindeer can grow antlers each year, but males usually have larger ones. These antlers help scientists tell different groups of reindeer apart. Reindeer live in many different habitats, from forests to mountains, and they are found in both Europe and Asia as well as North America.

Status

There are about 25,000 mountain reindeer living in the mountains of Norway, especially in Hardangervidda. Sweden has around 250,000 reindeer in herds cared for by Sámi villages. In Russia, there are 19 herds of Siberian tundra reindeer, totaling about 940,000 animals. The largest wild reindeer herd in the world is the Taimyr herd of Siberian tundra reindeer, which can range from 400,000 to 1,000,000 animals.

Some reindeer herds have been decreasing, but many are now stable or growing. In Canada, the George River herd of Labrador caribou, once one of the largest, now has fewer than 9,000 animals. Sadly, the only herd of southern mountain woodland caribou in the contiguous United States has almost disappeared, with only three animals left before they were moved to a safe place in Canada. Some reindeer subspecies are rare or have already gone extinct.

Naming

The names "reindeer" and "caribou" refer to the same animal, but they are used in different places. In Europe, the animal is called "reindeer," while in North America, it is called "caribou." The word "reindeer" comes from Old Norse words meaning "reindeer animal." The word "caribou" comes from a Mi'kmaq word meaning "snow shoveler," referring to how the animal digs through snow to find food.

Different cultures have their own names for reindeer. For example, the Inuit people call them "tuktu," and other groups have many specific words depending on the type of reindeer.

Evolution

The big changes in ice and warm periods during the past had a big effect on how reindeer evolved. During the last big ice time, reindeer were separated into groups in different places, which helped shape differences between groups in North America and Eurasia.

Reindeer belong to a group of deer that includes roe deer, moose, and water deer. They split from cattle and sheep about 36 million years ago. Reindeer first showed up in the Late Pliocene and changed a lot during the Early Pleistocene, a time with many glaciers moving forward and backward. They developed special traits to live in cold places and to travel long distances, like a special nose to warm cold air, short legs for running, and thick fur. These traits helped them survive in places where it is very cold and open, like the tundra, but not so much in forests.

Humans have hunted reindeer for thousands of years, and today, humans are the biggest threat to reindeer in many places. In Norway and Greenland, people have been hunting reindeer since the time of the ice ages. Old paintings made by ancient people show both tundra and forest types of reindeer.

Taxonomy

Carl Linnaeus named the reindeer in 1758. The reindeer's antlers have unique shapes that help scientists study them. Early scientists had trouble understanding these differences because they looked at preserved samples that didn't show the reindeer's natural colors or antler patterns well.

Later, scientists used detailed measurements and learned more about the reindeer's habitat and behavior. They named many different types of reindeer based on these studies. However, more recent genetic research has shown that reindeer have deeper differences than previously thought, suggesting they may belong to several distinct species. This research helps scientists understand how to protect different reindeer groups better.

Species and subspecies

The reindeer, also known as caribou, has several types or subspecies. Some live in places like Labrador and Newfoundland, while others are found in mountainous areas. Scientists study these differences to understand more about them.

Abbreviations:

• AMNH: American Museum of Natural History
• BCPM: British Columbia Provincial Museum (= RBCM the Royal British Columbia Museum)
• NHMUK: British Museum (Natural History) (originally the BMNH)
• DMNH: Denver Museum of Natural History
• MCZ: Museum of Comparative Zoology
• MSI: Museum of the Smithsonian Institution
• NMC: National Museum of Canada (originally the CGS Canadian Geological Survey Museum, now the CMN Canadian Museum of Nature)
• NR: Naturhistoriska Riksmuseet
• RSMNH: Royal Swedish Museum of Natural History
• USNM,: United States National Museum
• ZMASL: Zoological Museum of the Zoological Institute of the Russian Academy of Sciences (formerly the Zoological Museum of the Academy of Sciences), Leningrad

Physical characteristics

Reindeer, also known as caribou, are special deer found in cold places around the world. One amazing thing about reindeer is that, unlike most deer where only males grow antlers, both male and female reindeer usually grow them. These antlers can get quite large, especially in males, and they help in many ways, such as fighting and showing off during mating time.

Reindeer also have thick fur that keeps them warm in snowy and cold weather. Their fur changes color depending on where they live, with some being whiter in very cold places and darker in warmer areas. They have special hooves that change with the seasons—soft and padded in summer for wet ground, and hard and sharp in winter for walking on snow and ice. This helps them move easily and dig through snow to find food like a special type of lichen.

Reindeer can even see ultraviolet light, which helps them spot things that might blend into the snow, like urine or fur. Their eyes also change to help them see better in the dark winter months.

Biology and behaviors

Reindeer have special ways to stay healthy in both warm and cold weather. Their bodies change with the seasons. For example, female reindeer who are preparing to have babies have more body mass than those who are not during certain months. In winter, they eat lichens, which are important for their diet even though they don’t provide all the nutrients reindeer need.

Reindeer have babies in the spring, after mating in the fall. Bulls, or male reindeer, compete for the chance to mate by locking antlers and pushing each other. Females choose safe, quiet places to give birth. Newborn reindeer weigh about 6 kg and can start eating grass after about six weeks, but they still drink milk from their mothers until autumn.

Some reindeer travel very long distances — up to 5,000 km each year — while others stay in the same area. They can run very fast, even when they are just one day old. During migrations, smaller groups come together to form huge herds. In winter, they move to forests to find food under the snow, and in spring, they travel to their birthing grounds. Reindeer are good swimmers and will cross lakes and rivers when needed.

Ecology

Distribution and habitat

Reindeer live in cold places such as Scandinavia, Eastern Europe, Greenland, Russia, Mongolia, and northern China. In North America, they are found in Canada, Alaska, and the northern United States from Maine to Washington. Long ago, reindeer lived as far south as Nevada, Tennessee, and even Spain. Today, large groups of reindeer remain in Norway, Finland, Siberia, Greenland, Alaska, and Canada.

Reindeer mainly live in areas called tundra and taiga, which are cold and forested. Their numbers have gone down in many places because of changes in the climate and human activities. Warmer weather affects their food and where they can live.

Diet

Reindeer have special stomachs that help them eat lichens, which are plants that grow on rocks and trees. In winter, they eat a type of lichen called reindeer lichen. They can eat this because their stomachs have special bacteria that make the lichen safe to eat. In warmer months, they also eat leaves from willows and birches, as well as grasses.

Reindeer sometimes eat antlers they find on the ground, and in rare cases, they might eat small animals like lemmings or fish. During the Arctic summer, they change how they sleep to rest when they need to digest their food.

Predators

Reindeer face many predators. Golden eagles hunt their young, while wolverines attack newborn calves. Brown bears and polar bears may attack weaker reindeer, such as the very young or sick adults. Wolves are good at hunting adult reindeer and can take many at once.

Insects like mosquitoes and flies also trouble reindeer, making them move around to find places with less bugs. Reindeer are good swimmers and can even escape some predators this way.

Other threats

Reindeer can get sick from a parasite carried by white-tailed deer. As white-tailed deer move into areas where reindeer live, this sickness becomes more common. Human activities, like cutting down forests and building roads, also change the habitats reindeer need, making it harder for them to survive.

Conservation

According to the IUCN, reindeer, as a species, are not in danger because there are many of them and they live in many places. However, in 2015, the IUCN said reindeer are Vulnerable because their numbers have dropped by 40% in the last 25 years. Some types of reindeer and subspecies are rare, and three subspecies have already disappeared.

In North America, some reindeer types have disappeared or are in danger. The Queen Charlotte Islands caribou and the East Greenland caribou disappeared in the early 1900s. The Peary caribou is Endangered, and the boreal woodland caribou is Threatened. Some groups of barren-ground caribou are also declining. In Canada, the Selkirk Mountains caribou and the Rocky Mountain caribou are Endangered in some areas. In Eurasia, the Sakhalin reindeer has disappeared, and many Siberian tundra reindeer groups have gotten smaller, though some groups remain strong.

Relationship with humans

Arctic peoples have relied on reindeer for food, clothing, and shelter for a very long time. Ancient cave paintings in Europe show both tundra and forest types of reindeer. In North America, groups like the Caribou Inuit and the Gwich’in have followed reindeer herds for thousands of years. Hunting and herding reindeer have been important for many Arctic and sub-Arctic communities, providing meat, hides, antlers, milk, and even transportation.

Reindeer have been domesticated at least twice, coming from wild Eurasian tundra reindeer after the Last Glacial Maximum. Different breeds include those from the Evenk, Even, and Chukotka-Khargin people, as well as the Nenets breed. The Sámi people of Sápmi have also depended on reindeer herding and fishing for centuries. Reindeer are used to pull a pulk, a type of Nordic sled.

Reindeer play a big economic role for many circumpolar peoples, including the Sámi, Swedes, Norwegians, Finns, Russians, Khanty, Evenki, Yukaghirs, Chukchi, Koryaks, and Inuit. Domestication likely began between the Bronze and Iron Ages. In Siberia, reindeer are larger and are used for riding. Owners can have hundreds or thousands of animals. The sale of fur and meat is a key source of income. Reindeer were brought to Alaska in the late 19th century and mixed with local caribou.

Reindeer meat is popular in Scandinavian countries and comes in many forms, like meatballs, sausages, and smoked meat. Almost all parts of the reindeer can be eaten. Reindeer antlers are used to make supplements sold in Asian markets.

In colonial Quebec, hunters mixed reindeer blood with alcohol to stay warm, creating a drink now known simply as Caribou.

Indigenous North Americans

Caribou are still hunted in Greenland and North America. For some Canadian Inuit, northern First Nations, Alaska Natives, and the Kalaallit of Greenland, caribou are a main source of food, clothing, shelter, and tools.

The Caribou Inuit live in Nunavut’s Kivalliq Region and rely on caribou all year. There is an Inuit saying: “The caribou feeds the wolf, but it is the wolf who keeps the caribou strong.”

The Gwich’in people of northwestern Canada and northeastern Alaska have depended on the Porcupine caribou herd for thousands of years. Caribou are very important to them, similar to how buffalo are important to Plains Native Americans. Projects are underway to preserve the Gwich’in language and share knowledge about caribou.

Indigenous Eurasians

Reindeer herding is important for nomadic peoples in the Arctic, like the Sámi, Nenets, and Komi. In Mongolia, the Dukha are known as the reindeer people and were among the earliest to domesticate reindeer. Their diet includes reindeer dairy products.

Reindeer herding is common in northern Fennoscandia and the Russian North. Some groups, like the Eveny, see wild and domestic reindeer as different kinds of animals.

Husbandry

Reindeer are the only deer successfully semi-domesticated on a large scale. In northern Fennoscandia, the Kola Peninsula, and Yakutia, many reindeer are semi-domesticated and marked by owners. Some are used for pulling sleds, especially for tourism and races. They are also used for milk in places like Norway.

There are two main wild reindeer groups in Northern Europe: the wild mountain reindeer in central Norway and the wild Finnish forest reindeer in Finland and Russian Karelia. DNA studies show reindeer were domesticated separately in Fennoscandia and Western Russia.

Reindeer have been herded for centuries by Arctic and sub-Arctic peoples for meat, hides, antlers, milk, and transportation. They are not fully domesticated and usually roam free, but herders guide their movements. In Alaska, reindeer herding began in the late 19th century with help from the United States Revenue Cutter Service. Herders use satellite technology to track their herds.

Domestic reindeer are found mainly in northern Fennoscandia and the Russian North, with a small herd in Scotland. The last wild tundra reindeer in Europe are in southern Norway. An international group helps support reindeer herders across many countries. In Finland, reindeer herding supports local economies, though herders often need diesel fuel for generators and snowmobiles.

History

Hunting reindeer dates back thousands of years. Ancient writers like Aristotle and Theophrastus wrote about a large deer species, likely the reindeer. Julius Caesar described a deer-like animal in the Hercynian Forest, which was probably a reindeer.

During World War II, the Soviet Army used reindeer to carry supplies and people in the Arctic. About 6,000 reindeer and over 1,000 herders were part of this effort.

In Finland, the winner of the women’s slalom ski race gets a reindeer, though the reindeer continues to live on a farm.

Santa Claus

Around the world, people think about reindeer most during Christmas. According to Western stories, Santa Claus’s sleigh is pulled by flying reindeer. These reindeer were first named in an 1823 poem called “A Visit from St. Nicholas.”

Mythology and art

Inuit stories tell of how caribou came to Earth. Artists from the Barrenlands often include caribou in their work. Canadian artist Brian Jungen created an installation using caribou antlers. Playwright Tomson Highway, whose father was a caribou hunter, wrote a children’s book called Caribou Song.

Heraldry and symbols

Several places have reindeer in their symbols. Norwegian municipalities like Eidfjord, Porsanger, Rendalen, Tromsø, Vadsø, and Vågå feature reindeer in their coats-of-arms. Sweden’s Västerbotten province and county also include reindeer. The city of Piteå has a reindeer in its symbol. Umeå University’s logo shows three reindeer.

Canada’s 25-cent coin, or quarter, has a caribou on it. The caribou is the official animal of Newfoundland and Labrador and appears on Nunavut’s coat-of-arms. A caribou statue marks the Beaumont-Hamel Newfoundland Memorial in France, with a copy in Bowring Park, St. John’s.

Two Finnish municipalities, Kuusamo and Inari, have reindeer in their coats-of-arms.