The living habits and economic value of reindeer

Reindeer, female deer can weigh more than 150 kilograms, and male deer can weigh as little as about 90 kilograms. Both male and female deer have a pair of branch-like antlers, with a width of up to 1.8 meters. They are formed by ossifying the dermis and piercing the skin. They are replaced every year. The old antlers just fall off and new ones begin to grow. Although reindeer are docile and kind, they were not domesticated. The reindeer in North America are purely wild; while the reindeer distributed in Northern Europe and mainly managed by the Lapp people are widely raised in captivity.

Human activities have changed the living environment of reindeer

The winter hair of reindeer is very thick. The long hair is hollow and filled with air. It not only keeps warm, but also increases buoyancy when swimming. The down on the skin is thick and soft, like wearing a double-layered leather jacket.

Reindeer foraging for food under the snow

The most amazing behavior of the reindeer is the annual migration of hundreds of kilometers, which involves climbing over mountains and wading through rivers, marching forward bravely, one after another. But unlike lemmings, reindeer migration is not a collective suicide, but a long-distance journey full of reason. As soon as spring arrives, they leave the subarctic forests and grasslands where they survive the winter and head north along the established route that has remained unchanged for hundreds of years. The female deer always takes the lead, followed closely by the male deer, driving straight in, day and night, eating as they go, taking off their thick winter clothes along the way and growing new thin long hair. The fluff that was taken off fell to the ground and became a natural road sign. Just like this year after year, I don’t know how many centuries have passed. Normally, they always move forward at a constant speed and in an orderly manner. Only when a pack of wolves or hunters are chasing them, will they run fiercely and start a fight for life. Therefore, some people call the migration of reindeer the "Great Escape."

domesticated reindeer

For the Eskimos who have lived in the Arctic for generations, reindeer are an extremely important source of material for them. The meat is the best food, with a taste similar to beef. The skin is an important material for sewing clothes, making tents and kayaks. Bones can be made into knives, hooks, javelin points, sled frames, etc., and can also be carved into handicrafts.

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