Probably, many will agree with us that this is the most beautiful animal that lives in the North. In the vast expanses of the tundra, taiga in our country, as well as in the north of America, this stately handsome reindeer lives.
Appearance
This is a large animal with a powerful body and somewhat short legs. Despite this, it looks very graceful, especially while running. Luxurious horns that have individuals of both sexes add particular beauty to this animal.
This is a real deer weapon - they help to repulse the wolf, and even the males are not averse to measuring strength among themselves.
Wool
Since it is a northern animal, the deer has a very warm coat. Its color is pale gray, almost white. Inside the hair is hollow. It contains air, so the animal swims well. In addition, such a wool coat reliably protects from the cold. With the onset of frost, a gentle, soft fluff appears in the undercoat, and then the most fierce cold is not afraid of the deer.
Shedding once a year, but quite long. The old undercoat begins to fall in March; the new one appears in May. The process takes place especially intensively at the very end of June and throughout July. Until September, pieces of the old coat may remain.
Dense and wide hooves allow the deer to move even in very deep snow. They rake it with their hooves, forage for themselves. The animal easily passes even through the marshy swamp.
What does reindeer eat?
To this question, many will answer that he eats deer moss. This is not entirely correct. The basis of its nutrition is reindeer moss , which is mistakenly called deer moss. A perennial plant covers with a continuous carpet the surface layer of the earth in the tundra. The deer smells it under a half-meter layer of snow. However, this lichen grows very slowly (approximately 5 mm per year), so the reindeer herds have to roam the taiga in search of new pastures.
Yagel is very nutritious, it includes a natural antibiotic. Continuing the conversation about what reindeer feeds on, we should note that reindeer moss is not the only food for these animals. In summer, deer enjoy treating themselves with berries, grass, mushrooms, leaves of bushes and trees. Not many people know that the reindeer, the photo of which you see in our article, in some cases can act as a predator, eating some small animals, for example, lemmings.
Domestic deer usually graze on pastures, but they add grain flour, hay, silage.
Reindeer Lifestyle
Alone, these animals cannot exist. Reindeer in the tundra live in herds, which number from one to several dozen individuals. This lifestyle is due to the fact that during migrations it is easier for animals in a herd to protect themselves from predators. The life of reindeer is associated with constant migration. For example, in late autumn, herds, which usually live in the tundra, go south, to the taiga - in winter it is easier to find food in these territories. In search of food, these powerful animals are able to cover a distance of more than 1000 km.
Enemies of the deer
At all times, reindeer have been a prey for different predators. The main danger for them is wolves and wolverines. The most favorable time for them is the period of deer migration. During this period, old and weak individuals lag behind the herd. It is on them that the wolverines and wolves attack.
It cannot be said that people are also enemies of wild deer. For humans, the meat, skin and horns of these animals are of value. Despite this, the populations of many species of deer are well preserved. In areas where animals are protected, they are not afraid of humans, often go to the side of the road.
Today, about 600 thousand deer live in northern Europe, and about 800 thousand in the polar regions of our country. There are much more domestic deer - approximately three million individuals.
Breeding
In autumn, the herds begin the mating season, which is marked by frequent and fierce battles of males. Reindeer polygamen. In the "harem" of one male is up to 15 females. The duration of pregnancy is 246 days. Newborn deer are born in May-June. As a rule, one cub is born, much less often - two. The average weight of a deer is 6.5 kg. Two weeks later, the baby's horns begin to grow. For two, and sometimes three years, a fawn walks after its mother.
Already in the second year of life, he reaches puberty. The average life span of an animal is 20 years.
In December, after the rut, the males dump their horns. Females do not part with them.
Reindeer Species
There are two types of these animals. The first category is North American. It consists of several subspecies. Alaska, Greenland, Canada - this is the territory where the reindeer of this species lives. All over the world they are called caribou.
The second category is made up of subspecies living in Eurasia - forest, Finnish, Arctic reindeer, and Novaya Zemlya.
Domestic deer
This category of animals deserves a separate discussion. This group includes three independent breeds - Even, Nenets, Evenki.
The Nenets breed is the result of many years of selection work. Perhaps you are interested in where the reindeer of this breed lives? Animals are widespread beyond the Urals. The breed is characterized by low growth, but at the same time the animals have incredible endurance. The color is most often brown. These deer are used in teams. Males weigh 140 kg on average, females 100 kg.
Evenki reindeer in the tundra is often used to transport goods. Often he is a transport animal.
Even deer are low, therefore, less hardy. Usually they are bred to get milk and meat.
How are deer used?
More recently, the life of many peoples depended on such an animal as a reindeer. In the tundra, the existence of man would not have been possible without such an assistant. The peoples of the North hunted wild animals, thus extracting meat. But more often domesticated deer were bred. For northern peoples, this animal is universal. Its meat and internal organs are used as food. Domestic deer females provide nutritious milk. Plague and yaranga cover the skins of these animals. Shoes and outerwear are sewn from leather.
From the skin of deer, which are called fawn, sew overalls and suits for little northerners, as well as hats for adults.
Souvenirs and jewelry are made from small pieces of wool.
But undoubtedly, deer horns (they are also called antlers) are the most valuable material. Various household items are made from them. But their main value lies in the healing properties. For more than 3000 years, doctors of the East have been using an extract from antlers to treat people.
Not so long ago, modern scientists became interested in the question of why only deer are able to throw off horns, and new ones appear in their place. After research, they concluded that antlers contain the gene responsible for the regeneration of bone cells. Therefore, an extract of them or powder began to be used to treat severe diseases of bones and joints. In addition, antler-based drugs are a powerful immunostimulating agent. They are prescribed for high physical and mental stress.
In ancient times, reindeer was used as horse-drawn transport. In the tundra, harnessed to a sled, he easily transported the owner to the right place on the road. Today, with the development of technology, such a need has disappeared. But now the reindeer, whose photo often adorns the advertising brochures of the northern regions, participates in holidays, rides tourists.
In the northern regions of our country, in difficult climatic conditions, people managed to create unusual animal husbandry. People care about deer comes down to protecting them from wild animals in the winter, and from insects in the summer. I must say that activities aimed at this are not always effective.
Despite all the benefits of civilization, even today the main helper of some peoples is the reindeer. It is difficult to live in the tundra without this beautiful and strong animal.