By Charles Betzler
That Santa’s trusted team of reindeer is probably made up of females, not males. So, instead of Dancer, Prancer, Comet, and Blixen, their names should be something like Susan, Sheila, Mary, and Margaret. “It appears that way,” said Perry Barboza, a physiologist at the Institute of Arctic Biology, the University of Alaska at Fairbanks, whose field of study is reindeer and their closest cousins, caribou.
As it turns out, both male and female reindeer have antlers. However, male reindeer slough their antlers before the onset of winter, typically late November to mid-December. This occurs because the mating season takes place in the fall. The male reindeer have no use for their antlers after they have used them to impress their prospective mates. Therefore, the antlers are already discarded before the Christmas season. The females, however, keep their antlers until after birthing in the spring. This allows the expectant mothers to protect the young and food supplies throughout the bitterly cold weather.
Here are some fascinating facts about reindeer:
Some reindeer really do have red noses. There are two theories to explain the red noses. One postulates that the “presence of a highly dense and rich nasal microcirculation in layman’s terms, this means a large number of blood vessels crammed into a small area. It is thought that the abundance of blood vessels helps regulate the reindeer’s body temperature in the harsh climate. Another theory says the discoloration is due to a parasitic infection.
Reindeer eyes change colors. According to scientists from the University College London, reindeer eyes have reflective tissue behind the retina which reflects light back through the retina, thus improving night vision. This layer of tissue changes color according to the season. In the summer, when there’s an abundance of daylight, the tissue is yellow, which reflects an increased amount of light. When winter comes and with it a long period of darkness, their eyes turn blue, which reflects less light.
They see a different part of the electromagnetic spectrum. They also have the unique characteristic of being the only mammals that can see ultraviolet light thus improving vision in low light.
Some reindeer make a clicking sound when they walk. Some say this allows the reindeer to keep track of each other during blizzards.
Reindeer are not indigenous to the North Pole. The North Pole is located at the center of the Arctic Ocean, which is usually covered in ice. This makes it difficult for land animals to reach it. Reindeer normally inhabit the northern regions of Europe, Asia, and North America, although the largest herds are in Russia.
Now that you are equipped with these fun facts, you can impress your friends and relatives at the Christmas dinner table.
