Facts About Reindeer: Not Exactly Rudolph, Donner, and Blitzen

The terms caribou and reindeer actually refer to the same species of animal; the difference is that reindeer are domesticated animals that have evolved to have shorter legs and be slightly heavier than caribou, which roam wild and are one of the largest breeds of deer in the world.

Caribou are native to mostly colder climates, mostly found in Canada, Greenland, and Alaska on the North American continent. Caribou actually became extinct in Scotland and were reintroduced to this natural habitat in 1952. When looking for caribou, you will be hard-pressed to find one south of about the 62nd parallel.

These creatures are well adjusted to their cold environment, with hooves, coats, and antlers that all change with the seasons. The fur coat is dual-layered, with a dense undercoat and a long, overcoat that consists of hollowed hairs. Antlers fall off for the summer, any time between December and mid-summer, depending upon age and sex of the species (all caribou, including females, grow antlers). Caribou hooves are perhaps the most intriguing. During the summer, when their natural climate thaws and the ground is soft and muddy, their hooves become a bit spongy, which helps them to maintain traction in the sticky, sludgy environment. In the winter, the spongy foot pads of the caribou will shrink to expose the rim of the hoof, so that it can cut into the ice and snow and help hold the caribou's footing.

Another way the caribou is suited to its natural environment is through its breathing. The beast's nostrils have a much greater surface area internally. Upon breathing in, the air is warmed by body heat prior to entering the animal's lungs. When exhaling, the moisture in the air is condensed and caught within the nostrils rather than exhaled with the carbon dioxide emitted, and used to moisten the next intake of air.

While caribou eat mainly plants in the summer and lichen (especially reindeer moss) in the winter, they can also eat small birds and bird eggs.

Another interesting fact about caribou is that they are excellent swimmers. Looking at the bulk of the animal, one would think they would not have good swimming skills and would easily sink in the water. However, these animals are well adapted to the need to cross rivers and lakes in their environments. Wild caribou roam in large herds, migrating back and forth between their birthplaces and their winter homes. This creates the need to traverse through inconsistent climates that include water, and an entire herd will never hesitate to swim great distances across these bodies of water.

About one million wild caribou live in Alaska, and about the same in northern parts of Canada. However, of the 5 million that can be found in Eurasia, most are semi-domesticated. The last truly free herds can be found in central Norway. Wild caribou are highly vulnerable to human interference, and can be affected in an especially negative manner during the calving season, which occurs in April. For this reason, many formerly captive caribou herds have been allowed to run free again.