CritterChatter™ Blog
December 2011 - Fun Reindeer Trivia for the Holidays
Fun Trivia Question:
Only male reindeer grow antlers.
a) True
b) False
Correct Trivia Answer: (b) - False
Females also grow antlers. The antlers fall off at different times in the year depending on the reindeer's gender and age. Most male reindeer drop their antlers at the beginning of winter — usually late November to mid December. Female reindeer retain their antlers until after they give birth in the spring.
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A member of the deer family, reindeer live in the northern parts of North America, Europe and Asia. Reindeer in the United States and Canada are called caribou. The word Reindeer was derived from "running deer". Male reindeer are called bulls and females are called cows. Baby reindeer are called calves. Reindeer typically have a lifespan of around 10 years Reindeer usually mate in the fall, and their young are born the following spring. A reindeer will usually give birth to one or two calves at a time. Reindeer calves can begin grazing by the time they are 45 days old, although they will continue drinking mother's milk until the autumn after their birth. Reindeer are herbivores; in the wild they eat lichens, grasses, shrubs, mushrooms, and roots. They often find food by scraping under snow with their hooves and antlers. In captivity they are given a specially manufactured diet, supplemented with high quality hay. For centuries, domesticated reindeer have served indigenous peoples including the Lapps in Norway, and the Tungus and Chukchi tribes in eastern Siberia. Reindeer have provided these tribes with milk, butter, cheese, meat and clothing. They are also trained for riding and harnessed to pull a loaded sleigh. Ever since Clement Moore wrote his heart-warming verses, "'Twas the night before Christmas," in the nineteenth century, the image of reindeer became inseparable from Saint Nicholas (Santa Claus).
The reindeer has wide spreading hooves, an adaptation to travel in deep snow. When walking, reindeer make a peculiar cracking noise produced by a tendon in the foot. Reindeer and caribou are the only deer (Cervidae) where males, females and calves produce antlers. Both male and female reindeer grow antlers in the summer each year. Most male reindeer drop their antlers at the beginning of winter — usually late November to mid December. Female reindeer retain their antlers until after they give birth in the spring. The primary function of the male antler is for gaining social dominance.
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