Reindeer - Species Information - The British Deer Society

Reindeer

Reindeer, also known in North America as caribou, is no longer native to Britain although there is a free-ranging domesticated herd in the Cairngorms of Scotland.

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ABOUT REINDEER

Wild reindeer will not be encountered in this country although the British Deer Society (BDS) often receives queries about the species. The reindeer, also known in North America as caribou, is no longer native to Britain although there is a free-ranging domesticated herd in the Cairngorms of Scotland.

Reindeer are one of the larger deer species. There can be considerable variation in size but on average males (bulls) may stand around 120cm at the shoulder and weigh in the region of 160kg. Females (cows) are smaller at around 108cm and 120kg respectively.

The colour of the coat can vary considerably between white and a dark greyish brown. The underside is lighter. Old bulls tend to have a pale neck which can develop a long mane in winter. The tail and ears are short and the tip of the nose or rhinarium, normally bare on other species of deer, is covered by fine hair. The foot bones of both sexes click loudly as the animal walk; it is believed that this enables the herd to stay in contact during long periods of darkness. They have broad, flattened hooves which are specially adapted for travelling in snow and boggy terrain.

The reindeer is unique among the world’s deer in that both sexes habitually grow antlers, although those of the cow tend to be smaller and they have different cycles for casting and regrowth. Old bulls may start to cast their antlers as early as November, while cows usually retain theirs until they give birth in the spring.

120cm

HEIGHT AT SHOULDER

160kg

WEIGHT (UP TO)

By comparison, an average adult man in Britain weighs 79kg.

15-18 yrs

AVERAGE LIFESPAN

In the wild, females live to an average of 15-18 years, whilst males live to an average of 10-12 years.

24 FASCINATING FACTS ABOUT REINDEER

REINDEER FACT 1

A male reindeer is called a bull, a female a cow and their young a calf.

REINDEER FACT 2

As one of their adaptations for living in sub zero temperatures, reindeer have an enlarged nasal passage where incoming air is warmed before it is passed into the lungs.

REINDEER FACT 3

Reindeer fur has two layers: a soft, woolly undercoat which insulates them, and a longer-haired overcoat which consists of air-filled hairs.

REINDEER FACT 4

Reindeer coat colours can vary considerably between populations and subspecies. In general terms, northern animals are whiter while those of the larger southern animals are darker.

REINDEER FACT 5

Reindeer are called caribou in North America. The name comes from the name yalipu given to them by the indigenous Micmac people of Canada meaning ‘the scratcher’ or ‘the shoveller’, referring to their habit of digging in snow for food.

REINDEER FACT 6

Reindeer have especially large hooves which not only help them to travel across snow but also assist with swimming.

REINDEER FACT 7

Reindeer can run at up to 50 mph and have been recorded swimming at up to 4 mph

REINDEER FACT 8

A reindeer’s feet adapt to the seasons, with pads becoming sponge-like in spring to give increased traction when the tundra is wet and soft. In winter they harden off to expose of the rim of the hoof to prevent slipping in ice and snow, while also allowing them to dig for food at a time when it may be buried under a frozen surface.

REINDEER FACT 9

Reindeer foot bones produce a clicking sound as tendons rub across bones when the animal is walking or running, a noise which can be heard several metres away. The volume of the click has a direct relationship with the size of the animal and is an important way of communicating social standing as well as maintaining contact within the herd during the long Arctic nights.

REINDEER FACT 10

Reindeer are unique among deer as cows habitually grow antlers as well as the bulls. They have a different antler cycle which ensures that the smaller cow is better able to compete with bulls for food at times of poor feeding.

REINDEER FACT 11

Reindeer can be found across the more inhospitable and often frozen parts of the northern hemisphere where other deer could not survive.

REINDEER FACT 12

The colour of a reindeer’s eyes changes from gold in summer to blue in winter. This serves to improve vision during times of continual Arctic darkness and also helps them to spot predators more easily.

REINDEER FACT 13

There are around fifteen subspecies of reindeer, which can in general terms be divided into the larger woodland and smaller tundra forms

REINDEER FACT 14

Some reindeer can cover many thousands of miles every year as they migrate between their summer and winter feeding grounds.

REINDEER FACT 15

The only reindeer population in the Southern Hemisphere is on the Kerguelen (or Desolation) Islands in the southern Indian Ocean, where animals from Sweden were released in the early twentieth century. Others on South Georgia were removed by 2017 because of their effects on the fragile habitat there.

REINDEER FACT 16

Like some other deer species, reindeer cows can synchronise birthing to concentrate births into a short time frame. This reduces the effects of predation as vulnerable calves born over a long period would mean that more might be lost.

REINDEER FACT 17

Newly born reindeer calves are able to travel with their mothers within days of being born, and have been said to be capable of outrunning an Olympic sprinter at only a day old.

REINDEER FACT 18

Reindeer moss, which is actually a lichen, is an important food source during winter when other plants are not available. Reindeer are the only large mammal able to digest it.

REINDEER FACT 19

As one of their many special adaptations for living in cold environments, reindeer noses are completely covered in hair to protect against frostbite.

REINDEER FACT 20

Reindeer might live for up to 16 years in the wild, but over 20 years have been recorded in captivity

REINDEER FACT 21

During the continual daylight of an Arctic summer, reindeer switch from a sleep cycle synchronised to daylight hours to one in which they sleep when they need to digest food.

REINDEER FACT 22

Among the deer only the reindeer can be considered to have been truly domesticated by man. To many indigenous people, reindeer are a vital part of their culture, providing milk, meat and skins and forming an integral part of day-to-day life

REINDEER FACT 23

Reindeer first appeared in Christmas tradition pulling Santa’s sled in the poem A Visit from Santa Claus written by Clement Clark Moore in 1823, in which they were called Dasher, Dancer, Prancer, Vixen, Comet, Cupid, Dunder and Blixem (later changed to Donner & Blitzen).

REINDEER FACT 24

Rudolf the Red-nosed Reindeer made his first appearance in 1939 in a promotional booklet for the US retail giant Montgomery Ward written by Robert May. He toyed with Reginald, Rollo, Rodney and Romeo before finally deciding on the name.

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History, distribution & habitat

The natural distribution of the reindeer extends across the arctic and sub-arctic regions of northern Europe, Siberia and North America where they live in tundra, woodland and mountains. In many parts of the world they have been herded for centuries and are an important source of meat, milk and hides to some Arctic and Subarctic people who live an migrate with their herds. They are also used as pack animals.

Reindeer were once native to Britain but the last records of wild ones date back to around 800 years ago. In 1952 two bulls and five cows were brought from Sweden to Scotland as an experiment. They thrived and were supplemented by yet more animals in their paddocks on the northern slopes of the Scottish Cairngorms. Today the herd numbers about 150 animals which, in addition to their regular paddocks, are allowed to graze free-range on the surrounding mountain tops and frequently appear on neighbouring estates or the ski slopes of Aviemore.

During the summer reindeer feed on grasses, sedges, leaves and the new growth of trees such as birch, larch and willow. Mushrooms are taken in season. During the winter a lichen known as reindeer moss, which the animals frequently have to dig for with their antlers, is an important food source.

Breeding, behaviour & lifecycle

The rut takes place from late September until early November, and during this time the bulls will fight to get access to breeding females. The single calves are born in May or June and weigh around 6kg.

Reindeer prefer to live in herds, and in some parts of their ranges these can number up to 500,000 animals when smaller groups band together for spring migration. Migrating reindeer in North America have been known to travel as much as 5,000 km in a year though European reindeer migrations are rather shorter. They can run as fast as 50 mph.

Reindeer are probably the best swimmers of all the deer, and regularly take to the water when on migration or to escape predators. They can cover large distances in this way and have been recorded swimming as fast as 6mph.

REINDEER AND CHRISTMAS

Reindeer traditionally pull Santa’s sled when he delivers presents on Christmas Eve. In the 1823 poem ‘A Visit from St Nicholas’ by Clement Clark Moore the deer were given the names Dasher, Dancer, Prancer, Vixen, Comet, Cupid, Dunder and Blixem (later changed to Donner & Blitzen).

Rudolph only joined the team in 1939 when Robert L May wrote a story titled ‘Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer’ which later formed the basis for the popular song.

In many parts of the world reindeer are indeed trained to pull sleds, but it is only on Christmas Eve that they actually have the magical ability to fly.