Creature Day

 

Good morning this week due to my Christmas theme I am sharing some information about Reindeer.

The reindeer or caribou is a species of deer with circumpolar distribution, native to Arctic, subarctic, tundra, boreal, and mountainous regions of Northern Europe, Siberia, and North America. This includes both sedentary and migratory populations. It is the only representative of the genus Rangifer. However, Reindeer and Caribou might not actually be the same thing.

Their hooves change with the seasons, and females have antlers, too, some believe they can see things humans can't but I don't know how they would know that.

Generally speaking reindeer cannot fly but they can swim, they live for 15-20yrs and their favourite food is Lichen a fungi-moss like plant often found in high open places.

Of course we all know that Santa has 9 reindeer pulling his sleigh. Their legendary names are Dasher, Dancer, Prancer, Vixen, Comet, Cupid, Donner, Blitzen, and (drum roll) Rudolph. The reason these reindeer can fly and live so long is magic.

The first reference to Santa's sleigh being pulled by a reindeer appears in "Old Santeclaus with Much Delight", an 1821 illustrated children's poem published in New York. Other people will tell you it was in 1823 with “A visit from St Nicholas”. In this poem, “Saint Nicholas” arrives with eight tiny reindeer pulling a sleigh full of toys. The reindeer have the miraculous ability to fly.