:quality(80))
Reindeer
"Reindeer are the only deer in which both males and females have antlers."
Discover in real lifeHabitat
Northern North America, Europe and Asia
Food
leaves, lichens, mushrooms and herbs
Lifetime
15 years
Weight
60 to 320 pounds
Number of youngsters
1 juvenile
Wear time
7.5 months
IUCN Status
fragile
EEP?
no
Long-distance travellers
Reindeer undertake long migrations. They travel from one area to another in search of food. They also have specific areas where their young are born in spring. Some reindeer travel as far as 5,000 kilometres a year. That’s the distance from Eindhoven Zoo to the south of Spain and back again!
:focal(1894x616:1895x617):quality(90))
Theme area: On the Move
You can see the Reindeer in the ‘On the Move’ theme area. Here, you’ll discover how animals move and why moving – or, conversely, staying still – is important for survival.
Clicking
If you listen carefully, you can hear a clicking sound when a reindeer walks. That sound comes from the tendons in its hind legs. A tendon is the connection between a muscle and a bone. With every step a reindeer takes, a tendon slides over a bone in its hind leg, making that clicking sound. We don’t know why reindeer’s legs click. It probably helps them keep an eye on each other.