Quick Take
- A holiday decoration meets its match when an unexpected visitor picks a fight outside a festively decked-out home.
- A bear's claws are more destructive than most people realize, a fact the numbers behind them make perfectly clear.
- Reindeer's real-world survival trick makes the holiday fantasy version look even more impressive. See real reindeer speed →
- Caribou and reindeer aren't as different as you think, and the distinction comes down to one surprisingly simple factor. Caribou vs. reindeer explained →
This bear clearly wasn’t in the holiday spirit.
As the video starts, we see a passerby stopped because he sees a commotion at the house just up ahead. This swank house is decked out in holiday cheer. A Santa Claus, snowman, and massive inflatable reindeer adorn the yard.
However, this is not what has captured the attention of the person passing the house. A giant brown bear is fighting with the reindeer. The bear pulls the reindeer down to his height, and his big claws are likely what deflates this decoration.
According to the Idaho Fish and Game, a grizzly bear (a brown bear) can have claws reaching anywhere from two to four inches. And with that type of sharp length, it’s no wonder this inflatable couldn’t stand up any longer.
Are Reindeer Real?
While this inflatable reindeer wasn’t real, a common question is: are reindeer real? Or is it all just a holiday fantasy meant to bring joy to children as they envision Santa flying through the sky on his sleigh, pulled by his famous reindeer? Well, we are here to let you know they are indeed real!
Reindeer (Rangifer tarandus) is a member of the deer family Cervidae. Reindeer and caribou are the same animal, the Food and Drug Administration tells us. “In Europe, they are called reindeer. In North America, the animals are called caribou if they are wild and reindeer if they are domesticated.”
And while reindeer don’t fly, they can reach incredible speeds of up to 50 miles per hour. This gives them the distinct advantage of fleeing from predators that pursue them. However, sometimes the predators prevail, as shown in the video above!
