REINDEER

also called Caribou (Rangifer), Arctic deer, family Cervidae (order Artiodactyla), domesticated in some polar regions. Reindeer until recently ranged from Spitsbergen and Scandinavia to eastern Siberia. They are also native to North America and are divisible into two types: the northern, or barren ground, caribou of the tundra and taiga, and the woodland caribou of Canadian forests. Both types of reindeer are game animals valued for meat, hide, and antlers. Sportsmen recognize a third type, mountain caribou. Some authorities consider all reindeer to be a single species, R. tarandus; others assign them to several separate species. Reindeer differ from all other living deer in that both sexes have antlers; those of the females are smaller and simpler. The antlers themselves are long, with moderate branching on both the main beams and forwardly pointing brow tines. Reindeer stand 0.71.4 m (2.34.6 feet) at the shoulder and weigh as much as 300 kg (660 pounds). Small, domesticated races are about the size of donkeys. Stockily built animals, reindeer have large lateral hooves that allow the feet to spread on snow or soft ground. Colour varies from whitish to nearly black but in general is grayish or brownish with lighter underparts; the coat is thick and consists of hard, brittle outer hairs covering a dense underfur. Reindeer are strong swimmers and are always found in herds, famous for their seasonal migration between summer and winter ranges. Their numbers are now greatly reduced. They breed in fall, and males fight fiercely for harems. One or two calves are born after gestation of seven and one half months. The staple winter food is a lichen (Cladonia), popularly called reindeer moss, which the animals reach by scraping the snow away with their feet. In summer the diet also includes grasses and saplings. The main enemies of reindeer are humans, wolves, lynx, and wolverines. The reindeer herded by the Sami (Lapps) of northern Scandinavia and Russia are used as draft and pack animals. They are also a source of meat and milk, and their skins are used in the production of tents, boots, and clothing. In Siberia reindeer are also used as pack animals and as mounts.