Reindeer are the only species of deer where the females can grow antlers similar to the males, just a little shorter.

Their antlers will start growing with a covering of velvet, then the antlers harden, and will eventually fall off at the end of winter to be regrown larger in the summer.

Reindeer are well-suited for their cold habitat. Their noses have so many blood vessels, that it warms the air before it enters their lungs. A reindeer’s fur traps air, which not only keeps them warm, but it allows them to more safely swim across large bodies of water when migrating. Even their hooves have special abilities! In the summer, reindeers’ feet will have a softer, spongier texture to give them traction. In the winter, their hooves will harden and tighten so they won’t slip on ice.

Reindeer are also called caribou in North America and can be found in the colder areas of Europe, Siberia, and North America.

Reindeer are omnivorous ruminants, meaning they have a four-chambered stomach similar to a cow. They are the only large mammal able to digest lichen due to the specialized bacteria in their stomachs. Besides lichen, they have been seen dining on leaves, grasses, and sedges. During times of limited food resources, reindeer have been seen eating small rodents, eggs, and fish.

Males will fight each other for available females locking their antlers together to push the other male away. After mating, females will be pregnant for eight months. She will normally only give birth to one calf weighing 5-20 pounds. After only an hour, the calves are able to stand up. By the end of the day, the calf will be able to outrun a human. Interestingly, an entire herd might give birth within ten days supposedly to overwhelm predators to keep more calves alive.

Reindeer travel further than any other migrating land animal! A few populations in North America have been known to travel over 3,000 miles per year, which is about 23 miles per day. Reindeer can run around 50 miles, and swim 6 miles, per hour. Impressively, the whole herd sticks together through this, as a herd can range from 50,000 – 500,000 during the winter.

There are 14 different subspecies of reindeer! Species found more north have a lighter coat color than species in the south to blend into the snow better. Some subspecies even have knees that make clicking sounds when they walk so they can stay together in a blizzard.