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Given the unique climate and environment that most reindeer live in, you may be wondering: what do reindeer eat?
Reindeer eat a diet consisting of many things, including moss, fungi, tree leaves and fresh grass shoots when in season.
While Santa may be responsible for feeding his reindeer a balanced dietWhat can one expect a wild reindeer to eat? Let’s take a look at what this species prefers, and during different times of the year.
What foods do reindeer eat?
Reindeer eat moss, fungi, tree leaves, herbs, ferns and fresh grass shoots in the spring.
They are herbivores, meaning they only consume plants or other vegetation regardless of the season and available food.
These ungulates are quite selective in what they eat in the wild, choosing to consume only the most nutritious part whatever plant they are chewing. While reindeer grab everything they can get in the winter, they can be quite finicky during the spring and summer months.
However, this is not to say that reindeer do not enjoy a treat from time to time. Just as Santa loves his milk and cookies, many children put apples, carrots or other fruits on a plate as a snack for his reindeer. These herbivores also enjoy sweet treats, although it should be supplemented with leafy greens.
But what else do reindeer choose to eat, and how much do these ungulates need to eat to sustain their bodies during a frigid tundra season? Let’s take a look.
A Complete List of 7 Foods Reindeer Eat
Reindeer eat a wide variety of vegetation and plant matter – so much so that they have a type of moss affectionately named after them!
Reindeer lichen is one of many wild foods that a reindeer will eat. Although a semi-domesticated breed of deer, reindeer require a lot of food to survive. Reindeer moss is an important part of northern ecosystems, and a study published in Ecography shows reindeer grazing on said lichen is changing the general habitat!
In addition to these cold lichens, wild reindeer also eat:
- Spices
- Fern species
- Spring grass, both shoots and fully grown blades
- Mushrooms and fungi
- Moss and lichen
- Leaves of shrubs
- Leaves and bark of trees
There are other goodies that reindeer can get or eat, especially a domesticated or kept as a pet (or working for someone like Santa!). Treats that domestic reindeer can eat include::
- Fruits such as apples or bananas
- Oats and grains
- Hay or other dried grass
- Leafy vegetables, such as Swiss chard or Brussels sprouts
- Vegetables, such as carrots or root vegetables
These treats should not be the primary source of food for a reindeer, whether captive or not.
Since reindeer can be domesticated, you will find that captive reindeer eat a wider variety of things compared to their tundra-living counterparts. For example, a wild herd of reindeer won’t stumble across an apple orchard as they traverse the tundra!
No matter what, reindeer need a large amount of vegetation and greenery to survive a cold and long winter. Given their selective eating habits, reindeer are instinctively able to find high-density nutritious options, whether in the wild or in captivity.
This is why reindeer moss is such an important part of the diet of wild reindeer. This lichen is packed with nutrients and vitamins that many reindeer need to survive in the wild. However, eating this moss is easier said than done when winter comes and the snow settles!
You may be wondering how much food the average reindeer needs to survive and reproduce. Let’s dive into that now.
How much does a reindeer eat?
A reindeer eats up to 20 kilos of vegetation and food per day. The average reindeer eats anywhere from 5 to 15 pounds of food per day, and this number is more likely in the winter, when there is less food.
The foods wild reindeer eat can have a big impact on their herd and birth rates — and how much they eat in general. Although they are selective foragers, the more selective they are, the more likely they are to reproduce.
For example, a study conducted by Robert G. White in the Oikos Journal showed that a 14% increase in body weight in young female reindeer resulted in a whopping 35% increase in the chances of conception and continuation of a herd.
What does a reindeer eat in winter?
Reindeer still need food to survive a harsh winter in the northern regions. They often eat reindeer moss and other high-density nutritious vegetation. But how can these ungulates find herbivores green to eat when there’s snow on the ground?
Reindeer often have to use their hooves, antlers, and soft noses to dig through the snow to eat during the harsh winter months. Vegetation and lichen often get trapped under the feet of snow, leading to a lot more work for a herd of reindeer!
Do reindeer have predators?
Wild reindeer have many predators, but they are listed as an animal of least concern on our conservation status list. Humans are among the best predators for reindeer and caribou, but there are others too.
Some common predators for reindeer are:
Given the size of many reindeer, it is often the calves or baby reindeer that are preyed upon by predators in the wild. Therefore, reindeer must be extra careful with their young. There is little protection from predators in a barren location like a northern tundra, but reindeer have survived their entire existence as a species this way.
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