Svalbard reindeer

How do Svalbard reindeer feed?

Are Svalbard reindeer social?

How fast do Svalbard reindeer move?

What are Svalbard reindeer birthing rituals like?

How long do Svalbard reindeer live?

How many Svalbard reindeer are there today?

Do Svalbard reindeer have any natural predators?

7 sweet Svalbard reindeer facts

Saved from the brink of extinction by dedicated recovery programs, these small reindeer have a dramatically variable birth rate

Name: Svalbard Reindeer (Rangifer tarandus platyrhynchus)

Length: 1.5 to 1.6 metres (4.9 - 5.3 feet)

Weight: 50 to 90 kg (110 - 198 pounds), males being larger

Conservation status: Least concern

Appearance: White with darker coloring along their backs and faces

During the winter, Svalbard reindeer forage in areas where snow has less chance to accumulate. These include mountain slopes, ridgelines, and plateaus. During the summer and when access to food is easier, these reindeer spend most of their time feeding in order to accumulate enough fat to survive the next winter.

Svalbard reindeer tend to form small groups of about five members during the summer. These smaller groups may also gather during the winter due to limited feeding grounds. Svalbard reindeer are generally curious about people, slowly approaching to check them out before deciding if they should run or go back to feeding.

Svalbard reindeer can reach speeds of up to 80 km (50 mph) at a sprint. They are generally sedentary, however, and shuffle along as they feed.

These reindeer reach sexual maturity around age three, and breeding season begins in October. Successful males will collect up to ten females to create a harem. Pregnancy lasts about seven months, and a single calf may be born to each pregnant female in June. During the nursing period (about three months), Svalbard reindeer calves grow from about 3 kg (6.6 pounds) to about 10 kg (22 pounds) when weaned.

Svalbard reindeer live for an average of 10 years, but some have been noted for living as long as 17 years.

There are about 10,000 Svalbard reindeer alive today.

Svalbard reindeer have no natural predators. Starvation is the most significant factor keeping the population of this species in check.