No, Not the Flying Variety

We think we know about reindeer (also known as caribou,) but what is myth and what is fact? Do reindeer really fly?

Well, the answer to the second question is no. Some believe that this rumor was started because of their penchant for running quickly through the thick grass of the tundra when threatened. If the watcher was far enough away when the ‘took off’ it could look like they were flying away caused by an optical illusion caused by the flat expanse of the tundra.

Here are some facts:

Reindeer have extremely dense hair, not fur, that extends to their lips. This protects them from the snow when they graze.

All reindeer grow antlers. This includes the calves and females. They all shed them annually.

Although they are classified as herbivores because of their dental structure, they will eat small rodents, birds and eggs if they are available. They do this due to a need to add nutrients to their diet.

Reindeer are the domesticated variety of the caribou. They generally have shorter legs and are heavier. They are bred as a food source by people from the Arctic circle.

The caribou changes it’s hooves with the seasons. The hooves become soft and spongy in the warmer months to help maintain traction in a soft environment and then the spongy footpads shrink in the winter and allow the outer hoof rim to grow over it to give them additional traction in the colder months.

Caribou are excellent swimmers because of the need for them to cross large bodies of water in their Arctic home (especially during the summer.)

One other interesting fact is that their large nasal passages warm chilled air before it enter their lungs and then condenses the warm air returning and allows any moisture to remain in the nostril.

So, no they cannot fly, but they are another interesting example of mother nature’s creatures.