Can you name Santa’s Reindeer?

Christmas is nearly upon us and there’s nothing cuter than Santa’s Reindeer when you start to feel festive. It’s the yearly Christmas challenge to remember the names of all of the reindeer – can you do it? We have… Dasher, Dancer, Prancer, Vixen, Comet, Cupid, Donner, and Blitzen! Of course, not forgetting Rudolph – although did you know that Rudolph wasn’t recognised as one of Santa’s official reindeer mentioned in the poem ‘The Night Before Christmas’ in 1823? Instead, the red-nosed one came to the fore in 1939, and of course has his own song! Aside from those reindeer that are loyal to Father Christmas, what more do you know about this fascinating animal?

Here are some reindeer facts courtesy of reindeer.org.uk:

In Europe’s Reindeer Age, 16,000 years ago, they were abundant. Primitive humans relied heavily on them for their skins to keep them warm, meat to sustain them, and bones to create tools.

Reindeer are the only type of deer in which both male and female reindeer have antlers. Females retain their antlers until they give birth to their young in the spring. Keeping their antlers throughout the winter ensures they are able to compete for food while pregnant. Males shed their antlers each winter.

Reindeer are the only mammals that grow new sets of antlers annually.

They eat certain types of lichen that grow in sub-arctic climates. These plant materials help to keep their blood warm so that they can survive the icy winters.

The largest reindeer species, the Finnish forest reindeer, measures approximately 240 centimeters in length from snout to tail. Finnish forest reindeer have longer legs than other reindeer species. They have adapted to forest life by evolving with wide hooves, which help them dig through the snow for lichen, and antler pairs that grow closer together than those of other reindeer sub-species. These differences help Finnish forest reindeer move through woodlands unobstructed.

Reindeer have a strong sense of smell, and it’s that sense of smell that assist them in finding the lichen under the snow. They can sniff out the plant material easily, even through snow that is 60 centimeters deep.

They were built for the snow and cold and their bodies react to changes in temperatures by making adjustments. When temperatures become frigid, they have the uncanny ability to lower the temperature in their legs to near freezing levels. This keeps their core body heat even.

For winter grazing they grow their facial hair long enough to cover their mouths, protecting their muzzles from the snow.

They are strong, energy-efficient running machines. A 20 pound new calf can outrun a man, and reindeer in general are more efficient than most other land mammals.

Here at Kawaii Animals we have a beautiful range of reindeer products.

Check out our reindeer by clicking here!