Details
Rangifer tarandus
A circumpolar deer of tundra and boreal forest, called caribou in North America. Some populations make long seasonal migrations.
Map: Ecoregions 2017 © RESOLVE (CC BY 4.0) · Natural Earth (PD)
Reindeer use tundra, boreal forest, wet grasslands, mountains, and snowfields. Seasonal ranges can include calving grounds, summer feeding areas, and winter forest.
They have dense insulating fur and broad hooves adapted for snow and wet ground. Unlike most deer, both sexes commonly grow antlers.
They form herds that may move over great distances. Migration patterns respond to snow, insects, forage condition, and predator pressure.
Diet includes lichens, grasses, sedges, willow leaves, and fungi. In winter, digging through snow to reach lichens is a key behavior.
Breeding occurs in autumn, and females usually give birth to a single calf in spring. Calves stand quickly and follow the moving herd.
The global species is assessed as Vulnerable. Threats vary by population and include climate change, disturbance, development, and migration barriers.
