Wild reindeer in Scotland were hunted to extinction around AD1200
 

Did you know that reindeer roamed Britain 10,000 years ago. The milk teeth of a young reindeer who lived during the ice age were discovered by a team of experts from Torquay Museum team in 1961. Read More: culture24.org.uk/science
 

The Sámi language has some 400 words for reindeer and products derived from various parts of the animal

Reindeer, or caribou are able to outperform all other land animals in their energy efficiency.
 

The primary function of antlers is to achieve social dominance.
 

Female reindeer retain their antlers until after they give birth in the spring.
 

Reindeer milk has more fat than cow's milk.
 

Ever wonder how reindeer survive in the freezing cold? Reindeer cope with the bitter temperatures by simply eating moss which warms their bodily fluids, this prevents them from freezing to death.
 

Male reindeer have inflatable pouches of skin under their throats. This amplifies the roar or bellow during the rutting season.  Each reindeer makes a unique call.
 

Reindeer have a particularly well-developed sense of smell, and make extensive use of their scent glands for communication. This excellent sense of smell enables them to find lichen during winter down to a depth of 60 cm under the snow.
 

No two antlers are the same; every antler has its own shape and design.
 

Antlers feel warm as they are growing.
 

Caribou and reindeer are the same species.
 

The name Caribou originates from the Native American word Mi'kmaq which means 'shoveller'. This is a reference to shovel-like design of the sharp edges of their concave hooves which they use when foraging for Lichen.
 

During the winter the facial hair of reindeer grows very long down to the lips, this helps to protect the muzzle when they graze in snow.
 

In extremely cold weather reindeer are able to lower the temperature in their legs to just above freezing . This helps them to avoid loss of body heat.
 

Reindeer velvet can grow at up to 2cm per day . This is  unique in mammals, antlers are the only mammalian organ to fully regenerate each year.
 

The calf of a reindeer weighs 11 - 20 pounds and can stand on his or her legs within minutes of being born.
 

Reindeer typically have a lifespan of around 10 years.
 

At only one day-old a reindeer a calf is capable of outrunning a man.
 

Reindeer, can outperform all other land animals in their energy efficiency.
 

North American herds sometimes travel for more than 5,000km. They travel the longest distance of any other land mammal.
 

Male reindeer are solitary, though they join the herd during the rutting season in September, while female reindeer tend to stay in herds.
 

Ski joring is a sport invented by the the Lapps and involves a skier being pulled along behind a speeding reindeer!
 

The reindeer is the only species of deer in which the female has antlers possibly to help her compete for scarce food supplies. The males having shed their antlers in the November or December while the females retain them until they give birth in the spring, which may give them advantage when acquiring food supplies.
 

The origins of the word 'deer' comes from the Middle English word 'der' meaning beast and from the Old English word 'dor'. The origins of 'rein' comes from the Old Norse word 'hreinn'.
 

The Caribou appears on the coat of arms of Nunavut.
 

Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer found in brain scan
Read more:
metro.co.uk/weird/851200-rudolph-the-red-nosed-reindeer-found-in-brain-scan