reindeer

(also called ‘caribou’ in North America) {plural – the same spelling and pronunciation = reindeer; and the word ‘deer’ rhymes with the word “dear”}

a kind of animal – mammal – four-legged – grass-eating – belongs to the deer family – medium-sized deer with brown on the outer side and white belly and tail (males have white mane (= long thick hair on the neck)), long broad muzzle (= mouth and nose part), medium-sized ears that stick out side-ways, branching horns (antlers) on the head in both male and female, stout neck, long slender but powerful legs with broad hooves, 6-8 inch-long tail; size: on average, 4 feet tall at the shoulder, 6 feet long, and weight: 75-325 Kg. (male larger than female); feeds on leaves, grasses, occasionally mushrooms, bird eggs and lemmings, and in winter lichen and moss; lives for 10-15 years; several sub-species found in the Arctic and sub-Arctic regions, as far as Mongolia and China

male ~~ bull

female ~~ cow

baby ~~ calf/fawn

group ~~ herd voice (call) ~~ {no particular name, but ‘hoarse rattling’ call males make during mating season; and some sounds by the females with babies}

home ~~ (man-made) reindeer corral

[The meat of the reindeer eaten by people is called ‘venison’.]

Special Features:

Unlike the others of the deer family in which only males grow antlers, both male and female reindeer grow antlers, with males having larger ones. The male reindeer antlers are the second largest, growing to about 40 inches in width (the first being the moose antlers)! The males have a white mane which, the animal experts believe, is used to attract the female during mating season, and the air sacs in the throat make their call louder and more challenging to the other males! Reindeer are the only kind in the deer family that are domesticated. Reindeer are migratory, i.e. they go to warmer places when the weather gets colder, and get back to the home place when the weather gets warmer! The native people of the Arctic region have been hunting or rearing reindeer for thousands of years. Every part of the reindeer is used by the native people: the meat as food, the skins and hides as clothes, the antlers and bones as tools and weapons, and the intestines and sinew as ropes to make their tents! The reindeer antlers, grounded into powder, are also used in the folk medicine. The reindeer’s milk is the richest milk of all the mammals – with high protein content!

Reindeer is the only deer species that has been used as draught animal, i.e. as beast of burden, for pulling sledges (= wheel-less carts that slide on the frozen ice), and occasionally, small carts! A team of reindeer is seen pulling the Santa Clause’s sledge in the pictures on the Christmas cards and in the outdoor and indoor Christmas decorations! In the modern societies, reindeer meat balls are canned and, along with the reindeer sausages, are sold in the supermarkets!! The reindeer is seen on one side of the Canadian quarter, a currency coin, and also on several postal stamps. The reindeer is so popular in the Arctic region that several sport and business establishments have its picture in their logos!

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