Table of Contents
Where do reindeer migrate to and from?
Reindeer have been domesticated in Europe. There are two varieties, or ecotypes: tundra reindeer and forest (or woodland) reindeer. Tundra reindeer migrate between tundra and forest in huge herds numbering up to half a million in an annual cycle covering as much as 5,000 km (3,000 miles).
Do reindeers migrate or hibernate?
Migration (behavioural) Reindeer migrate further than any other terrestrial animal, as much as 5,000 km (3,100 miles) a year. However some groups of reindeer don’t migrate at all.
What do reindeer do in winter?
In winter, they make do with lichen (also called reindeer moss) and fungi, scraping the snow away with their hooves to get it. An average adult reindeer eats 9 to 18 pounds of vegetation a day. Reindeer travel, feed, and rest together throughout the day in herds of 10 to a few hundred.
Do reindeer migrate south in the winter?
They do not migrate very far between their summer and winter ranges (less than 40 miles, in some cases), but they are very sensitive to human disturbance and to forest loss.
How long does a reindeer live?
Female reindeers can be 18 years old but they usually live a little over 10 years. Non castrated male reindeer do not live as long as female reindeers, usually living about 10 years.
Where does the reindeer migrate in the winter?
Reindeer migration is a 10,000 year old rhythmic movement All through the winter, the reindeer graze high on the plateau, where there is little snowfall and a subarctic steppe climate. With temperatures as low as -30 Celsius (-22 Fahrenheit), the snow is light and fluffy, and there is no ice because the weather is rarely mild.
How does turgleder help with the reindeer migration?
The tour operator Turgleder in Karasjok works with several reindeer-herding families. This means that if one herding family cannot accept visitors because the herd is too scattered and has to be brought together, they can phone another family. Neither the reindeer herders nor Turgleder know in advance when the reindeer migration will begin.
Is it true that reindeer are always on the move?
Yes! Reindeer are constantly on the move. But how far they travel depends on the location and sub-species. Forest Reindeer may be more dispersed in their woodland homes and travel shorter distances than Tundra Reindeer that come together in large herds and can travel thousands of kilometres between forest wintering grounds in summer tundra.
How long does it take a reindeer to travel?
But how far they travel depends on the location and sub-species. Forest Reindeer may be more dispersed in their woodland homes and travel shorter distances than Tundra Reindeer that come together in large herds and can travel thousands of kilometres between forest wintering grounds in summer tundra.