Reindeer/Caribou Rangifer tarandus

Reindeer, the usual name in Eurasia, or Caribou, the usual name in North America, are large deer native to Arctic and tundra/taiga areas. They stand 4-5 feet at the shoulder and have been semi-domesticated by northern-dwelling humans for hundreds of years for milk/meat/fur and as pack/dray animals. Totally wild herds of both Reindeer and Caribou also still exist.

Unusually for deer, Reindeer/Caribou females grow antlers as well as the males. The males' antlers are bigger and are sometimes palmated. In fact, if Rudolph had antlers in mid-winter she was probably female since males lose their antlers in December and females lose them in the summer; he could have been a young male.

The antlers are re-grown each year, the new growth being covered by "velvet" (above) which carries blood vessels and is shed when the antlers are grown.