Reindeer Facts:
All reindeer come from the family "rangifer tarandus". All reindeer are domesticated Caribou. There are seven subspecies of Caribou. There are several small herds of "woodland" Caribou in the United States. [Northern Maine, Extreme Northeast corner of Washington and the Northern tip of the Idaho panhandle, and Northwest Montana]
Caribou range in size from 200 - 400 lbs. Reindeer are a smaller domesticated subspecies and range in size from 100 - 200 lbs. Large Caribou bulls can be over 700 lbs.
There are several reindeer farms in the United States (lower 48), and Canada. There are ten registered herds in British Columbia. And several registered herds in Alaska. In Europe (mostly Finland and Northwest Russia) Laplanders raise reindeer as Texans raise cattle. The European domestic reindeer as a species is about 2200 years old. Laplanders use them for food, milk, drafting (pulling and plowing), and their hides for leather and fur.
Some species of Reindeer females never shed their antlers. Most males loose their antlers by the middle of December. Reindeer antler is considered an aphrodisiac by some Asians. They grind up deer antler (caribou and reindeer) and eat it with their food so they can make whoopee. Have any of you hunters done that?
Domestic Reindeer are taught to pull carts, sleighs, and plows.
However, only Santa's reindeer fly. They also keep their antlers until after Christmas because no one has ever been hit with a falling antler yet. The reindeer heat is over by mid November so the reindeer can really concentrate on delivering gifts and flying Santa around to his various duties.
Just thought you folks needed to know these facts and supposed facts.
Keith
