Animal of the week – Reindeer (Rangifer tarandus).
Reindeer,
common name for a deer native to the subarctic and arctic regions of Europe and
Asia. Unlike other deer, both the male and female bear antlers. The antlers of
the male are long, branched, and slightly flattened at the tips; the brow tines
are well developed. The antlers of the female are smaller and simpler.
Reindeer
are sturdy, short-legged animals, having a brownish coat that is dark in the
summer and light in winter; the long hairs under the neck, the fur just above
the hooves, and the region about the tail are almost white. Reindeer range in
height from 87 to 140 cm (34 to 55 in) tall at the shoulder. The animals have
large, spreading hooves that enable them to travel on snow-covered areas. They
feed on vegetation such as grasses, leaves, mosses, and lichens, obtained by
scraping away the snow cover with their antlers and hooves.
For
many centuries reindeer have been domesticated in their original habitat, which
ranges from Norway into northern Asia. They have been trained to wear harnesses
and draw sleds. In addition to their strength, speed, and endurance in pulling
sleds over snow, they are also valuable for their milk, flesh, and hides. After
they were introduced as economically valuable animals into Alaska in 1887, they
thrived so well that they were later introduced into Labrador and northern
Newfoundland. These North American forms of reindeer are called caribou.
Scientific classification: The reindeer belongs to the family Cervidae of the
order Artiodactyla. It is classified as Rangifer tarandus.
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