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Reindeer have long been worshiped throughout history. In 1823, Charles Dickens first mentioned Santa’s famous eight reindeer in a poem. They were each decorated with a name, Dasher, Dancer, Prancer, Vixen, Comet, Cupid, Donner and Blitzen.
In 1939, the success of Robert L. May’s storybook “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer” and the 1949 Christmas carol of the same name resulted in Rudolph being featured as the ninth reindeer in the infamous Santa Claus story.
We have long associated reindeer with Christmas and winter celebrations, particularly in Scandinavia and Eastern Europe. Pagan mythology is fond of reindeer, and their ancient practices became part of Christmas celebrations during the Middle Ages. So, you may be wondering, are reindeer real and what is fantasy vs reality when it comes to these incredible animals?
Yes, reindeer are real!
Yes! Reindeer are real and classified as mammals. reindeer and caribou are the same species (Rangifer tarandus). In the northern regions of the Northern Hemisphere, this species can be found in abundance. The wild subspecies in North America is known as ‘caribou’. Wild and tamed reindeer are both known as reindeer in Eurasia.
Reindeer, like Rudolph, have long been loved for their docile and reliable nature, as well as their skill at various jobs. Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer is a perfect example of a fictional story reflecting reality!
The species has long been thought of as a mysterious northern creature that provides humanity with transportation, shelter, and food. Their antlers were thought to contain something medicinal and nutritious, and they still consider reindeer antlers to be a highly effective natural medicine in many cultures.
The reindeer evolved to denote inventiveness, ingenuity, and knowledge, as well as safe travel and endurance. In the popular Santa Claus story, reindeer bring people home safely in a harsh winter environment. Domesticated since the Bronze Age, the reindeer has proven to be a great asset.
Can real reindeer fly?
New. reindeer are mammals and cannot fly. Squirrels glide on a flap of skin and bats, the only mammals with real wings, can fly. Reindeer, however, can move at different speeds, from a slow trot to a fast gallop, with short bursts of up to 79 mph. Inhabitants of Lapland in Finland used reindeer to drive sleighs or sleighs such as those depicted in the stories of Santa Claus and “Twas the Night Before Christmas,” published in 1837.
While reindeer cannot fly, a reindeer is a serial jumper. They are known for jumping six feet in the air and sliding, they can do this with ease. Reindeer are deer; therefore, the theory of extended jumping makes sense to many white-tailed deer hunters in the United States. According to Mark Kayser, an avid hunter and outdoor writer for Grand View Outdoors, most deer can jump over a 2-meter fence, but some can jump as high as 2-meters. And famed wildlife photographer and whitetail expert Charles Alsheimer documented a buck chased by another making a 35-foot chasm!
Where do reindeer originally come from?
Reindeer are originally from Scandinavia and Eastern Europe and Greenland. They were believed to have lived in Scotland until the 12th century when Orkney’s last reindeer were hunted. Southern Idaho had reindeer in the 1800s. wild reindeer, or caribou, even lived in Nevada, Tennessee and Alabama in North America and Spain in Europe during the late Pleistocene. They have since disappeared from these places, especially in the south. Wild reindeer currently roam Norway, Finland, Siberia, Greenland, Alaska and Canada.
Some reindeer subspecies are rare, and two are extinct: Canada’s Queen Charlotte Islands caribou and East Greenland’s Arctic reindeer. The Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada listed forest caribou as endangered in 2002. The IUCN lists Rangifer Tarandus as vulnerable.
Reindeer are real and awesome!
Reindeer are fascinating animals with a long history of worship in literature and culture. Much can be learned about them, and some of it may come as a shock to you! Reindeer, for example, have antlers of both sexes, unlike most other deer species, where only the males have antlers. Antlers on reindeer are the largest and heaviest of all living deer species, despite their small stature. The male antler can measure up to fifty-one centimeters in length, while female antlers can measure up to twenty centimeters in length.
If left to their own devices in the wild, reindeer can live up to 15 years. If domesticated, they can survive for up to 20 years. Currently there are 2.5 million cultivated reindeer in nine countries, with 100,000 people taking care of them. This is about half of the world’s reindeer population!
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