Ten Amazing Facts About Reindeer You Won't Believe are True

When you think of a Reindeer you probably think of the type that pulls Santa’s sleigh and maybe one even has a red nose! But Reindeers are complex, strong and weather resilient animal creatures that deserve way more attention than being the tools of Santa’s trade. I have done some festive research and found ten amazing facts about Reindeer you won’t believe are true, but I promise you they all are…

They Are Bigger Than You Think

The largest species of reindeer is the Finnish forest reindeer that measures approximately 240 cm in length from nose to tail.

That Red Nose is Powerful!

Reindeer are very much like sniffer dogs and have a strong sense of smell. In fact, it is so good they can find lichen under the snow at 60 centimetres depth!

They Love The Cold

Remember the start of this post where I said they were a strong and weather resilient animal? Well, reindeer can live quite happily and achieve their maximum speeds even when it is minus 50 degrees Celsius! In fact, their bodies work better the colder it is.

All of Santas Reindeer Are Female

All those reindeer’s that are pulling Santa’s sleigh are most probably female! This is because male reindeer shed their antlers at the end of the mating season in early December, but females keep them all year round.

What Noice Does a Reindeer Make? Nothing!

During winter seasons the reindeer don’t vocalize at all! In fact, it is thought that they only really make their grunting, communication sounds in the first few months of childbirth, staying silent both before and after.

Not All Reindeer Are Cold Weather Proof

They can handle the cold with ease, but in Canada, Scandinavia and Russia reindeer are short-haired! Rather than having thick, warm fur reindeer are covered with hollow hairs that trap in the air and keep them well insulated from the elements!

Santa Will Have to Hold Tight

It isn’t quite take-off speed, but most Reindeer’s can run at a mind-blowing 48 mph (80 km per hour) and have been known to outrun cheetahs!

Their Hooves Were Made For Walking

Caribou holds the record for the longest documented movements of any terrestrial mammal! They are known to travel up to a mind-blowing 3,000 miles (nearly 5,000 km) in a year!

Look at All of Santas Caribou!

Reindeer and Caribou are in fact the same animal! When someone calls one a reindeer it is generally referring to the domesticated variety (Rangifer tarandus) that is herded by humans and pull a sledge.

Greta, Please Save Rudolph!

The numbers of wild Reindeer have sadly dropped nearly 60% in the last three decades due to climate change making their natural habitat much warmer.

If you know of any other amazing Reindeer facts or stats why not tell us in the comments below, or let us know if you found these facts interesting.