Reindeer

Facts

IUCN LEAST CONCERN (LC)

Facts about this animal

Reindeer are medium-sized deer, with males reaching a head-body length of 185-215 cm , height at shoulder of 68cm, and a body weight of 60-170 kg, occasinally more. Females are slightly smaller and lighter. There are also some subspecies and island forms that are considerably smaller. Domesticated animals are shorter-legged and heavier than their wild counterparts.

Males have rather irregularly branched antlers, sometimes with many, somtimes with only a few points. Females have antlers too, but these are much smaller. The coat has two layers of fur, a dense woolly undercoat and longer-haired overcoat consisting of hollow, air-filled hairs. The colour is very variable, depending of whether the reindeer are wild or domesticated, and whether the habitat is tundra or taiga.

Reindeer walk, trot or gallop, When walking their hooves make a cracking and crunching sound. They are excellent swimmers. They are migratory, although they do not migrate over long distances in europe.

Female reindeer form large herds that are led by an old female. Males are solitary or live in smaller herds. During the rutting season harems are formed.

The rutting season lasts from August to November, depending on location, but peaks usually in October. In May/June the female gives birth to one single calf, rarely twins. The young can stand within minutes after being born. They re weaned at the age of five to six months.Unlike in many other deer species, the reindeer fawn's coat is not marked with camouflaging spots.

Did you know?
that reindeer are the only deer ever tamed and put to use by humans for a variety of purposes, including milk, blood, meat, hide, bones, pulling sleds and riding? The Lapps or Sami of northern Scandinavia keep herds of reindeer. Traditionally these people were nomadic following herds from place to place. Now however, those groups that remain nomadic generally have only the men follow the reindeer herds while women and children stay in a more permanent location. Other groups keep reindeer herds much as cattle have been domesticated and kept.

Factsheet
Class	MAMMALIA
Order	ARTIODACTYLA
Suborder	RUMINANTIA
Family	CERVIDAE
Name (Scientific)	Rangifer tarandus
Name (English)	Reindeer
Name (French)	Caribou
Name (German)	Ren
Name (Spanish)	Reno
Local names	Finnish: Metsäpeura Icelandic: Hreindýr Norwegian, Swedish: Ren
CITES Status	Not listed
CMS Status	Not listed

Photo Copyright by
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

Distribution

Distribution
Range	Arctic zones of North America and Eurasia
Habitat	Arctic tundra and subarctic forest regions
Wild population	Approx. 4 millions (Wikipedia 2011)
Zoo population	564 reported to ISIS (2005)

In the Zoo

How this animal should be transported

Hard antlers should be removed before transport under proper restraint and, where required, sedation. No deer with antlers in velvet at a stage of growth which could be damaged easily should be transported where there is a risk of injury.

For air transport, Container Note 73 of the IATA Live Animals Regulations, should be followed.

Find this animal on ZooLex

Photo Copyright by
Joseph N. Hall

Why do zoos keep this animal

Domestic reindeer are kept primarily for educational purposes, because they represent the only deer species which has been domesticated and in which both males and females have antlers. For the European forest reindeer, which has a restricted range, a conservation breeding programme (EEP) is run by European zoos.

Reindeer are particulary popular with children because of the Christmas story "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer" www.cbs.com/specials/rudolph about Santa Claus’ ninth and lead reindeer who possesses an unusually red-coloured nose that gives off its own light that is powerful enough to illuminate the team's path through inclement weather.

How this animal should be kept

Reindeer should be kept in social groups of one adult male and several females with their offspring. Temporary separation of sexes and keeping in bachelor groups is also possible.

For up to five adult animals an outdoor enclosure of at least 500 m² is required, which should be enlarged by 50 m² for each additional adult. The enclosure should be well structured by logs, heaps of branches, rocks, bushes, or trees, allowing the deer to withdraw and hide from each other. Branches should be made available for antler rubbing (removal of velvet). Frequently used areas, e.g. at the entrance to the stables, should be paved. The soil should be well drained.

Enclosures with non-drained soil and grass cover offer at least 1000 m² per adult animal. A simple shelter of suitable size to accommodate all animals should be available as a protection from inclement weather or for providing shadow.

In the wild, reindeer have available a very wide range of forage. At least 62 species of lichen and 282 kinds of seed plants are known to form part of their diet in North America alone. The diet should therefore consist of good quality hay ad lib., fresh browse (winter: leafless; summer: with leaves), dried browse (in winter, e.g.chestnut leaves), fresh lucerne/grass mixture (only summer), pellets especially for browsers,etc. The average crude protein content in a supplement is usually around 14%.