Discover the Epic Journey of Reindeer: From Tundras to Forests

Reindeer are a type of deer that has evolved to endure harsh winters in freezing climates. They are the only deer species with hair completely covering their nose. This helps warm incoming cold air before entering their lungs. Reindeer also travel, feed, and rest together in the wild, sometimes forming super-herds of up to 500,000 animals. Tundra reindeer migrate between forest and tundra in these massive groups in an annual cycle. They move to northern climes during summer and travel to the south during colder seasons.

Where Do Reindeer Live?

Domesticated reindeer can be found on ranches and farms across North America, Northern Europe, and Asia. However, most of the reindeer population lives in the wild. You’ll find them roaming freely in the tundras and forests of the Northern Hemisphere. Their population is dispersed during the winter. Large herds pack together every spring, though, and travel considerable distances in an impressive journey.

Summer is considered the season of growth for reindeer. Calves quickly learn to follow their mothers and find food during this season. Though they can tolerate warmer temperatures, reindeer tend to avoid getting too hot and will move farther north during summer, to cooler areas.

Why Reindeer Migrate

Reindeer have adapted to endure the cold and survive extreme winters. In North America, wild reindeer will seek shelter and tough out winter in forested areas. In the spring, when the days become longer, and the air begins to warm, the reindeer begin their extensive journey north, in search of fresh food and to give birth. They usually begin traveling in small groups but pack together in huge herds along the way. 

During the winter, they mainly feed off lichen, but as summer approaches, reindeer will also eat grasses and mushrooms, which become much more abundant in the northern lands when spring starts. They also have specific regions where they give birth and raise their calves, which they revisit every year in their annual travel. In North America, the herds are even named after the traditional calving places they prefer, like the Porcupine River, Baffin Islands, and Beverly Lake.

When days shorten, and the snow starts falling again in the north, reindeer travel back south. The females leave with their yearling calves two weeks before the males. When going back south, the herds start in great numbers, but the population disperses when they reach their destination. 

Reindeer Migration Patterns And Facts

Reindeer’s cloven hooves are well adapted to survive the cold. During colder months, a reindeer’s hooves toughen up, allowing them to step on frozen, harsh terrain. Their eyes are adapted to the long nights of the northern winters. They also possess a great sense of smell, which helps them find food in inhospitable regions.

Reindeer hooves make a particular sound as a tendon snaps over a bone in their foot as they walk. This sound can be described as a clicking. It is believed that this sound helps them find each other and stay together in the dark while also driving away predators.

Reindeer migration is not a programmed event. It’s impossible to know beforehand the exact day when they’ll start moving, as it depends not only on the amount of daylight time but also on the weather, the rains, and the depth of snow. These factors will also affect the speed at which the herds will move, so the migration path and duration, while similar each year, are somewhat unpredictable. Climate change and human factors, like roads and railways have affected migration patterns.

Where Do Reindeer Go When They Migrate?

In Europe, reindeer spend their winters in the plains, where there is little snow, and the climate is not as extreme as in the Arctic Circle. Between April and May, they will travel up north in herds of thousands. 

Sami people from Norway accompany the large herds during their travel as part of a tradition. They guide the reindeer and provide them with food when it’s scarce. Some herds will end their travel in the Scandinavian Mountains, in the north of Norway, while others travel to the coasts. There, they will raise their calves and will have fresh vegetation available thanks to the warmer climates. 

In North America, caribou also move up north in their migration. Barren-ground caribou make a particularly long journey throughout the Yukon Territory until they reach the coasts of Alaska, where they’ll pasture and birth their calves. This annual migration is probably the longest of any land animal. They spend their winters in the boreal forests, move to their calving grounds in spring, and finally reach the tundra, where they’ll spend the summer feeding on the abundant vegetation.