Wild Wednesday, Reindeer

Today I'd like to talk about the Reindeer, also known as the Caribou. Very rare in Michigan but seen now and again especially in winter. The Michigan Reindeer is a smaller variety, resembling the White Tail Deer, but as you can see from this photo, some of the males share the same red glowing nose as their northern cousins. This adaptation allows the animal to see in dense fog or heavy snows. The Reindeer is the largest flying mammal, and is domesticated in northern regions to be a load bearing animal. To hear the Reindeer mating call click here.