Reindeer

Amazing creatures that pull Santa's sleigh. Reindeer and caribou are the same species but different subspecies, so like cousins. Reindeer are smaller and live in different areas than caribou. They are also semi-domesticated, unlike wild caribou. Reindeer and caribou are the only part of the deer family where both male and female grow antlers, which are also shed every year. One unique thing about reindeer are their clicking tendons. You know the poem "Up on the housetop, click, click, click," the clicks are the reindeer's tendons, not their hooves. This is a unique trait that allows reindeer to find each other in a blizzard. And speaking of cold weather these animals are made for it. They have two layers of fur, the outer coat is hollow fur, which helps them fly and swim across rivers. Another thing that helps them swim and have traction on the snowy tundra is their hooves. They are wide split in the middle, creating two halves. They act as snowshoes in the deep snow and help the reindeer have traction on slippery ice. And although they aren't as tall as your average cow or horse, they can pull! No wonder Santa picked such wonderful animals to pull his sleigh!

The gigantic reindeer herd roamed across the frozen tundra, each taking turns dipping in the icy water to get to the other side.

by reindeerlvrgurl February 19, 2018

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