29 November 2024
Reindeer are the perfect winter animal. Here are eleven festive fun facts about reindeer, and how they're so well suited to their environment.
1. Female reindeer also have antlers - it's not just the males
There are over 40 species of deer, and yet reindeer are the only deer species where the the ladies also grow antlers. The females will keep theirs over the harsh winter to protect the food as resources get low, whereas the males will shed theirs in the late autumn, growing a brand new set every spring.
2. Reindeer hooves do actually click
Mariah Carey was right, reindeer hooves really do click! But why? It's not their hooves clicking on the rooftops when they land Santa's sleigh, but instead it's all to do with their complex anatomy. With each step they take, tendons 'snap' over the bones in their back hooves, making a clicking noise. This also means that they can easily locate and stay with the rest of the herd, even in the most bitter storms - they just need to listen out.
Next time you visit us, see if you can hear Solen or Regnar clicking away as they walk...
3. Reindeer love to eat a lichen called reindeer moss
Throughout the year reindeer eat all sorts - they have a very varied diet of grasses, fungi, and leaves. But in the winter they rely almost exclusively on a lichen called reindeer lichen or reindeer moss, which is particularly cold-hardy and can survive the harsh winter months, keeping them fed in the harshest of conditions.
4. Reindeer can see ultraviolet light
Unlike humans, reindeer can see UV light with the naked eye - an adaptation which is vital for their survival over the dark winter months. Snow reflects up to 90% of the UV light that falls on it, appearing white to reindeer. On the flipside, animal urine (which to them can very much be a sign of predators), reindeer moss, and wolf fur absorbs UV light, appearing black. This makes it easier to find food, and to stay safe from other animals.
5. Reindeer noses really do glow red
Whilst not all reindeer are called Rudolf, their noses really do glow red. Their noses are full of blood vessels in a very unique structure which warm up the cold air they inhale. This keeps the reindeers warm on the days where the air temperature can drop to -40 degrees Celsius in their native habitats in Siberia, North America and the Arctic.
6. Reindeer legs have some cool adaptations
Pardon the pun but it's true. Not only are reindeer legs long and slim to help them slink through deep snow, but they also contain I high concentration of oleic acid which helps to prevent freezing. This combined with a system of intertwined arteries and veins allows reindeers to have a unique way to regulate their body temperature, even in deep cold.
7. Reindeer hooves act like crampons
Reindeer hooves change depending on the season. In the summer, the pads of their hooves swell to grip the softer ground, but it winter time, those pads shrink back a little, revealing the sharp edge of their hooves. This sharp edge, along with the hair on their hooves, allows them to have an excellent grip on the slippery ice and frozen tundra of their home. Far stronger a grip than any hiking boots us humans wear!
8. Reindeer have the perfect winter coat
Reindeers have a brilliant winter coat made up of two layers of fur - a soft but dense undercoat, covered by a long, coarse outer layer. The outer hairs are hollow, which trap air and provides particularly excellent insulation. In fact, reindeer are so well insulated that when they nap, any snow that falls on them doesn't even melt.
9. Reindeer may not be able to fly, but they can swim
The air trapped in their coat fibres, not only helps to keep reindeer warm, but also makes them buoyant. So whilst reindeer may not be able to fly (sorry, kids!), they can swim exceedingly well. Their broad hooves act like paddles so they can doggy paddle with ease through bodies of water when needed during their vast migrations.
10. Their eyes change colour
Reindeer eyes change colour with the seasons. In the summer, their eyes are gold, similar to lots of other mammals. However, in winter, their eye colour changes to a deep blue, which helps the reindeers see better in the low winter light.
11. Reindeer would have no trouble pulling Santa's sleigh on Christmas Eve
Reindeer are no stranger to travelling long distances. They are migratory animals, travelling in huge herds which can number up to half a million. Annually, some herds of reindeers have been known to travel over 3000 miles.