Why reindeers at christmas

Northern caribou subspecies tend to possess heavier bodies and shorter legs than do more southern subspecies—adaptations to conserving heat in frigid climes. Some North American caribou populations migrate more than 3, miles yearly, the longest known migration of a terrestrial mammal. In spring, they may move in herds of up to , animals. Caribou hooves are spongy in summer, helping the animals to travel over soft, wet tundra.

In winter the hooves shrink, exposing sharp edges that stabilize the foot on icy surfaces. Caribou mate from late September to early November, with males sparring head to head for mates. Dominant males may claim up to 20 cows and will stop eating during the mating season. Calves are born in May or June and, in order to keep up with the herd, are up and running within about 90 minutes of birth.

Despite this precocious behavior, they continue nursing until autumn even though they start grazing when about 45 days old. Caribou provide food for wolves, bears, golden eagles, wolverines and various scavengers, including foxes and ravens. Old World people domesticated caribou beginning about 2, years ago. The reindeer pasture freely in herds, like cattle, and are used for meat, hides, milk and, yes, to pull sleds. Covered in head to toe with hollow hairs that trap in the air and insulate from the cold, they are built for the tundra and high mountain ranges.

Their hooves and footpads also are adapted for frigid temperatures, shrinking and contracting in the cold which exposes the rim of the hoof.

This allows them to gain better traction by cutting into the ice and snow. When the weather turns particularly cold, blood flow in the nose increases. Reindeer bones have been found in ancient caves in Germany and France, meaning they once roamed much of Europe. Old Chinese annals dating back nearly eighteen hundred years ago also mention domesticated reindeer. Over a thousand years later, Marco Polo also wrote about tamed reindeer in his journals.

People used reindeer in much the same way we use horses today, to transport people and supplies. There is even a good deal of evidence that humans used to milk reindeer. Native peoples in Serbia and Canada where again, they are called caribou use reindeer for clothing, work, food and to even pull sleds. In fact, they are thought to be more powerful than an average horse and can run up to forty miles an hour even with an attached sled. Beyond horse-like chores, reindeer meat is also an important food source and has come to be considered something of a delicacy.

Nick story until the 19th century. Later, Gilley would write that he knew about reindeer living in Arctic lands from his mother, who was from the area. Although it should be noted in his version he describes St. This, of course, explains how St. Some years ago, the U. The proof is in the antlers. Reindeer are the only deer where both males and females grow antlers. Join Our Email List. Learn more about our commitment to safety.

The Franklin Institute is a C 3 nonprofit registered in the U. The Franklin Institute. Here are some more reindeer facts to pull out at Christmas Eve dinner: Reindeer have color-changing eyes. When winter rolls around and brings near constant darkness, their eyes turn blue, which increases the scatter of reflected light and helps them see better.

They are also the only mammals that can see ultraviolet light, which helps them pick out objects in the dim Arctic winter. Reindeer can float. One of their two coat layers is made up of hollow hairs that trap air, holding in body heat and giving them some buoyancy. In North America, some reindeer undertake a massive migration of more than 3, miles in a year—the longest migration of any land mammal.