Reindeer
The reindeer or caribou are big furry animals with long horns on their heads, both reindeer boys and reindeer girls have horns. They live where there is a lot of snow and ice. Their fur is warm and dense and keeps them warm in the cold.
What reindeer eat
The reindeer love lichens, which are green or grey plants that grow on rocks and trees. The reindeer also eat grass, berries and even mushrooms. To find food in winter, they dig through the snow with their hooves.
Reindeer travelling
Reindeer live in the far North: in tundras where there are few trees and in forests with large spruce trees. Reindeer reindeer travel a lot! When it gets cold, they go to warmer places. And when it gets warm, they return home. On their way they cross rivers and travel long distances.
Reindeer families
Reindeer have large families. They like to spend time together.
When reindeer babies are born, they weigh as much as a big bag of apples. The fawn can already run the day after birth! And it drinks milk from its mum until it's 3 or 4 months old. The mum fawn takes care of her little fawn, feeds it and teaches it how to find food.
The Reindeer and people
People who live in the North are friends with the reindeer. The reindeer help them: the people drink their milk and make warm clothes from their wool. Reindeer can pull sledges with things. In return, people give reindeer salt, which they like to lick and protect them from predators.
Fun facts
Have you heard of Santa Claus? It's said that it's the Reindeer that help him deliver presents to children at Christmas by pulling him on his big sleigh!
So if you see a sleigh flying in the sky this winter, it could be Santa Claus on his trusty reindeer!
