If you’ve ever wondered why only female reindeer pull Santa Claus’s sleigh or how fast these animals can run, the facts below will help answer those questions.
Interesting Facts About Reindeer
Reindeer (Rangifer tarandus) are large deer that inhabit the Arctic, North America, and some areas in northern Europe and Asia. Both male and female reindeer have antlers. The weight of reindeer varies depending on gender and age. Adult males can reach a height of about 1 meter and weigh an average of 170 kg, while females are about the same height but weigh only around 90 kg.
The following interesting facts about reindeer were published on Livescience.
Only female reindeer pull Santa Claus’s sleigh. Image: Daily Mail.
They Run Very Fast
Scientists assert that they can run at speeds of up to 80 km/h. When detecting predators, reindeer will sprint with their heads held high and parallel to the ground, while their tails will be raised. When chased, reindeer can gallop very quickly.
The Land Mammal That Travels the Farthest
Reindeer can travel nearly 5,000 km each year. According to the International Conservation Fund, reindeer are the land mammals that travel the farthest, while humpback whales are the farthest traveling mammals in water, often covering distances of up to 8,000 km in the ocean to return to spawning grounds.
They Are Very Cold-Resistant
Reindeer live in Alaska (USA), Canada, the Scandinavian Peninsula, and Russia. Their diet consists of tundra vegetation. The bodies of reindeer are covered with fur that traps air, providing insulation from the surrounding environment. Additionally, the circulatory system of reindeer allows cold blood in their limbs to absorb heat from the warm blood in their bodies.
They Move Silently
Santa Claus never has to worry about the reindeer waking up children while delivering gifts. Of course, this does not apply to the reindeer wearing bells around their necks. Female reindeer only communicate with each other for a few months after giving birth (in summer), while males only vocalize during mating season (autumn). Scientists have found that males have a large air sac in their throats that allows them to emit deep sounds to attract females during mating. This call also helps male reindeer fend off competitors. For females, the air sac allows them to communicate with their young. Each female reindeer’s call has its own intensity and frequency, allowing their offspring to recognize them by sound.
Male reindeer shed their antlers at the end of the mating season (early December).
Santa Only Uses Female Reindeer
Male reindeer shed their antlers at the end of the mating season (early December). In contrast, female reindeer retain their antlers throughout the winter. This may be one reason why Santa chooses only female reindeer to pull his sleigh. Additionally, male reindeer lose up to 95% of their body fat, leaving them with only 5% fat by Christmas. In contrast, female reindeer still have around 50% body fat in winter. This layer of fat plays a crucial role in keeping reindeer warm. Therefore, female reindeer are significantly more cold-resistant than males during Christmas. Experiments have shown that female reindeer can withstand temperatures as low as -43 degrees Celsius.
Do Reindeer Have Red Noses?
Speaking of the leader of Santa’s reindeer team, the secret to Rudolph’s rosy nose is a dense network of blood vessels in his nose. Medical researchers in the Netherlands and at the University of Rochester in New York state that reindeer appear to have 25% more red, oxygen-rich capillaries than humans.
John Cullen from the University of Rochester states: “In colder climates… increased blood flow in the nose helps keep the surface of the nose warm. The dense network of blood vessels in the reindeer’s nose is also essential for regulating the animal’s internal body temperature; like many mammals, reindeer do not sweat.”
Where Do Reindeer Live?
Reindeer are found across a vast polar region surrounding the Arctic, in Alaska, Canada, Greenland, Northern Europe, and Northern Asia in tundra, mountain, and forest habitats. Their home range can extend up to 500 square kilometers, according to the Encyclopedia Britannica.
Reindeer are exclusively herbivorous animals.
Subspecies of reindeer, such as woodland reindeer (Rangifer tarandus caribou), can be found as far south as 46 degrees north latitude (North America). Both the Peary reindeer and Svalbard reindeer (Rangifer tarandus platyrhynchus) can exist as far north as 80 degrees north latitude, roaming through Greenland, Svalbard, and other northern regions.
What Do Reindeer Eat?
Reindeer are exclusively herbivorous. Their diet may include herbs, ferns, mosses, grasses, shoots, mushrooms, and leaves. On average, an adult reindeer consumes about 4 to 8 kg of vegetation each day.
In winter, reindeer must dig through the snow to find food. They use their antlers to excavate and graze on energy-rich lichens known as reindeer moss.
