Reindeer

In North America, Santa Claus is said to visit all the children of the world every year on the night before December 25, traveling in a sleigh. According to the story, reindeer pull the sleigh, including the famous Rudolph, the red-nosed reindeer. Santa Claus, his sleigh, and the reindeer are said to fly through the air and land on rooftops. On Christmas Eve, children hang up stockings. They believe Santa Claus climbs down the chimney during the night and fills the stockings with toys and candy. Can this story really be true? Can reindeer fly? Do they have red noses? How do Santa Claus and his reindeer manage to visit all the children in a single night? And what does Santa Claus do with children whose homes don’t have a fireplace or chimney? Oh dear! Perhaps we should stick to what we know for sure.

One thing is certain: reindeer really do exist. They live in northern Europe, Asia and America. Their scientific name is Rangifer tarandus. They belong to the deer family, can grow to about 1.2 metres tall and reach a length of around 2 metres. Male reindeer can weigh up to 270 kilograms. Reindeer live for about 12 to 15 years. Their coats are dark grey-brown. In winter, their coats are lighter than in summer. In autumn, they grow a thick undercoat that protects them especially well from the cold. They can therefore withstand temperatures as low as minus 40°C. Reindeer are the only deer in which both males and females have antlers. The males’ antlers are considerably larger, however. They are very irregular in shape. Reindeer do not use their antlers as weapons. If they have to defend themselves, they kick with their hooves or run away. For example, they use their antlers to clear snow in winter. The males shed their antlers after the rut, and the females shed theirs a little later.

They feed on the plants available in their habitat. In summer, this is mainly grass. In winter, they often have to dig laboriously for lichens, mosses and fungi hidden beneath the snow. Their broad hooves make it easy for them to walk on snow. Reindeer travel hundreds of kilometres over the course of the year to find enough food. In summer, they suffer greatly from mosquito and horsefly bites. They are hunted by wolves, lynxes and bears. However, healthy reindeer usually escape because they can run fast and for long distances. Once a year, around mid-May, a female reindeer gives birth to one or two calves. Newborn calves weigh around five to twelve kilograms.

The young animals can walk just an hour after birth. For the first few weeks, they feed on their mothers’ milk. Many of them die if the weather is wet and cold. Female reindeer can have their first young at the age of 2.

In the Stone Age, reindeer were an important prey animal for the people who lived at that time. Their hides were made into furs and leather, while their antlers and bones were used to make arrowheads, fishhooks and tools.

People lived as hunter-gatherers at that time. During the warmer months, they followed the reindeer herds. On the way, they slept in tents made from long poles and animal skins.

Lapland lies in northern Finland, Sweden and Norway. The Sami people live there today. The Sami and other northern peoples have used reindeer as domestic animals for thousands of years.

Reindeer pull sleds and provide milk. When slaughtered, they provide people with meat, fat and hides, which can be made into shoes and clothing.