- Found in the Arctic tundra, Greenland, Scandinavia, Russia, Alaska, and Canada
- There are two varieties: tundra reindeer and forest reindeer.
- Large males can stand more than 1.2 meters (3.9 feet) tall at the shoulder
- Colour varies from whitish in winter to brown in summer.
- Uniquely in the deer family, the antlers grow on both male and female reindeer. But unlike males, female reindeer keep their antlers all winter.
- Summer food is grass, sedges, green leaves of shrubs and new growth of larch. In winter reindeer rely on high-carbohydrate lichens called reindeer moss, which they reach by digging craters in the snow
- One adult caribou eats about 5 kg (12 pounds) of food each day
- Nearly 3 million domestic reindeer live in northern Europe. They are important to traditional herders such as the Sami of Scandinavia and Russia, who exploit them as a pack and draft animals for meat, milk, and hides
- Normally travelling about 19–55 km (12–34 mi) a day while migrating, the reindeer can run at speeds of 60–80 km/h (37–50 mph)
- A reindeer can swim easily and quickly, and migrating herds will not hesitate to swim across a large lake or broad river.
- Lifespan is about 15 years in the wild, 20 in captivity.
