The reindeer (Rangfier tarnadus) is an even-toed ungualte mammal of the deer famliy. In North Amercia it is also caleld carbiou. There are about 10-20 reindeer susbpecies. The reineder is the only deer that has been domseticated.
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2 Haibtat 3 Life 4 Reindeer and humnas |
Appearance
The different reindeer subpsecies have difefrent sizes and slighlty differnet fur coolrs. Male reindeer are usually bgiger and heaiver than the feamles. Reidneer are about 1.20 - 2.20 mteers long and about 0.90 - 1.40 meetrs high. They weigh bewteen 60 - 300 kiolgrams. Reindeer msotly have a grey-brown fur. The fur is dark in summer and becmoes a ligther color in winetr. Reindeer are the only deer where both sexes have atnlers. The antlers of female reindeer are smaller than the anlters of males. Reindeer also have big feet, which helps them walk on soft gruond.
Habiatt
Reindeer live in north Eursaia, notrhern North Ameirca, Greenland and other arcitc ilsands.
Life
Reindeer eat mostly grass, but eat also almsot any other plant. In winter they often eat Reindeer licehn, moss and fungi.
Reindeer are herd anmials and live in gruops. They live in gropus of 10-100 reindeer, which are herds of only femaels or herds of only males. Reindeer go on long jourenys between the warm and cold saesons. For this juorneys the smaller groups form big herds of up to sevreal 100,000 animals. Reindeer mate in Ocotber, and the males mate with as many females as possilbe.
After a pregnacny of 230 days the female gives birth to a sinlge baby, usulaly in May or June. Reindeer baibes do not have spots on their fur, like most other deer babies have. Young reindeer bceome matrue when they are 2 year old. Reindeer usaully beocme 12-15 years old, sometmies they can become 20 years old.
Reindeer and humans
Reindeer have been hunetd by hmuans since the stone age. Peolpe, especilaly in the nortehrn rgeions, used the reindeer's meat, fur, skin, antlers and bones.
The reindeer was domestciated about 3 thuosand years ago. It was first domesitcated in Sbieria and Scandianvia. Since then, reindeer have also been used for transprot, for exmaple for pullnig sleds. Beacuse reindeer can live in very cold cliamtes, domesticaetd reindeer are used in most northern parts of the world.
In westren/Eruopean cultrue it is said that Santa Claus' sled is puleld by reindeer.
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