Reindeer

		SIZE

		HEIGHT:	To shoulder (3.5 ft.).
		LENGTH:	Shoulder to rump: 3.5 ft.
		WEIGHT:	Female: 175 lbs Male: 211 lbs

		BREEDING

		MATURITY:	Female: year one
		MATING:	Calving takes place from April through May. May reproduce til 10 years old.
		GESTATION:	Seven months
		# OF YOUNG :	One or two

		LIFESTYLE

		HABIT:	Usually travel in herds.
		DIET:	Lichen, grass, birch and willow leaves, mushrooms.
		LIFESPAN:	10-15 years

		SCIENTIFIC NAME

		FAMILY:	Other common name "Greenland Caribou". Similar species is the Muskox. Genus: "Rangifer" Species: "tarandus"

		GENERAL INFORMATION

		Wild reindeer are found in Scandinavia and northern Russia. Both male and female reindeer have antlers. New antlers are fully grown by July, but do not harden until fall. These are the only members of the deer family (Cervidae) whose females grow antlers. The antlers are covered with "velvet", vascularized tissue, in summer. The males drop their antlers in winter, while pregnant females usually retain their antlers until after they give birth in the spring. Their coats are very think which provides them with excellent insulation. Their hooves are very broad which enable them to travel efficiently through snow and swamp. Their hooves also make a clicking sound when they walk. When people hear the sound, they often think that the reindeer has an injured ankle. But this is normal. Their diet is mosses, lichens, and other tundra plants. Reindeer (Rangifer tarandus) are semi-domesticated caribou. Although similar, there are fundamental differences in the behavior of reindeer and their wild cousins, caribou. They tend to be smaller than caribou, with shorter legs, and are a lighter color. It is believed they have been domesticated in Eurasia for at least 7000 years, which is longer than the horse (Edwards, 1994) In Eurasia reindeer are classified as either domesticated or wild, while in North America they are called reindeer if they are of the Eurasian domesticated variety, or caribou if they are of the wild variety. This domesticated factor makes them different from caribou in that they need to be tended on the range to keep them safe from predators, and may need to be driven to a better grazing area if theirs becomes sparse. Reindeer eat lichen in winter and spring, and grass, birch and willow leaves, mushrooms. They will always try to go to where the new greens are, which may be contrary to the direction the herder wants the herd to go. During the summer, herds move to breezy places, either near the shore or high up so they may avoid flies. Insects are very bothersome to the reindeer, making them very unruly and difficult for the herder to keep track of or round up. Near fall, the herd begins to move inland, toward more sheltered areas. They winter in open forest and on slopes, where the wind may blow the snow off the forage.

"Visited Bear Country July 31, 2006 and enjoyed seeing the animals up close especially the bears. Watched the baby bears and had to force ourselves to leave. Could have spent the whole day with just the baby bears watching them play. Your staff is very customer service oriented. "

Everett & Becky Paeper
Alta, IA