Deer and Reindeer are part of the family Cervidae. All deer share the characteristics of having antlers. The White-tailed Deer is most common in North America. This week we’re digging deeper and learning the differences between the Deer or Reindeer Animal Study.
Deer or Reindeer Animal Study
Let’s first chat about the “reindeer” name. We learned, The word “reindeer” comes from the Old Norse word hreinin, which means “horned animal”. “Caribou” comes from the French word for “snow shoveler”, which refers to reindeer’s habit of digging through snow to find food.
Interesting Facts About Reindeer
- Reindeer are the only deer species where both males and females have antlers.
- Reindeer live in the Arctic, subarctic, tundra, boreal, and mountainous regions of Northern Europe, Siberia, and North America.
- Reindeer have a special nose with blood vessels that heat up cold air when they breathe in.
Did you know there are more than 43 different species of deer? We found this graphic at AnimalSpot.Net.
Pick any deer to compare to a reindeer and use our Similar Yet Different Page to document your facts. You can also head over to Homeschool Nature Study to read the Interesting Facts about Elk I found!
Carrots for Reindeer ?
We hate to burst your bubble, but reindeer do not eat carrots. “Carrots are not part of their natural diet and can be difficult for them to digest. Reindeer have no incisor teeth on their upper jaw, which prevents them from chewing carrots down to a size they can eat.”