Reindeer
Rangifer Tarandus, commonly referred to as caribou (North America) or reindeer (Europe and Asia), can be found globally in the Northern Hemisphere. They are a unique member of the deer family, with 12 living subspecies, that differ geographically and morphologically. LARS currently houses a herd of 42 ÀÖ»¢Ö±²¥n reindeer for research purposes.
Physical Description
Rangifer can vary in size among the different subspecies. Generally speaking, the herds that occupy the southern end of their species range tend to be larger than their Northern cousins. Rangifer have a short, brown coat in the summer season. Their winter coat consists of long, hollow hairs that have a honeycomb pattern on the inside, and a light brown downy underwool. Both are light weight and insulate them from the harsh Arctic winter.