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Reindeer, caribou - RANGIFER TARANDUS
Class: Animals with Milk Glands (Mammalia)
The Name "Rein": "Rein" comes from the Old Norse word "hrein," which means "deer." "Deer" comes from the German word "Tier," which simply means "animal." "Reindeer" then means "deer deer." "Caribou comes from the Native American word "mekalixpowa", possibly meaning "snow scraper."
Location:Northern Europe, Asia, and North America.
Habitat: Terrestrial. Arctic tundra.
Description: The coat is dense, warm, and waterproof. In summer, it is dark-brown and in winter it turns gray, tending toward white. Both sexes have antlers, but the female's are thinner and less branched than the male's, which are very large and asymmetrical. The first branch or fans out in the shape of a shovel in the males. The hooves are very broad and enable the reindeer to walk easily in deep snow. Length of head and body over six feet, with eight inches more for the tail. It stands up to five feet tall at the shoulders, and can weigh over 700 pounds, with females usually smaller than males.
Behavior: Reindeer, or caribou, live in large herds which migrate twice a year as the seasons change. In summer they graze in the northernmost parts of their range on aromatic plants, but in winter they head south to feed on mosses and lichens. Mating begins in late September or early October. At this time the mane around the male's neck becomes denser and longer. The males do not gather females in harems. Instead, they pursue females in heat. Duels between males are rare.
Reproduction: In April and May, after a gestation period of about eight months, the female gives birth to a single calf, which can start following its mother within minutes.
Note: The reindeer has been domesticated by the Lapps, who travel with them across the northern regions of Norway.
Go to the Artiodactyla Page to learn more about all the even-toed hoofed animals.
Or go to the Deer Index to study other
deer.
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