Rudolph May Be A Work Of Fiction, But Reindeer Can Actually Have Red Noses
Reindeer are known for pulling sleighs and having shiny, glowing noses that light up the night. Rudolph the Red-nosed Reindeer may be a work of fiction, but there is surprisingly some truth behind the folktale.
Some reindeer in real life actually do have red noses—they just don’t emit any light. Here’s everything you need to know about these symbolic creatures, including why they can have red noses!
Reindeer are herbivores, but since they live in the Arctic, where the ground is covered with ice and snow for most of the year, they don’t really have much variety to choose from.
Their diet mainly consists of lichen, a plant-like organism that grows on trees and rocks. They also eat moss, grass, and fungus when they can find it. Additionally, reindeer eat the droppings of other animals, specifically the waste of barnacle geese.
Now for the most interesting fact—their red noses. A fraction of reindeer, known as the species Rangifer tarandus, have noses with a distinctive reddish hue. They are native to Arctic regions in Alaska, Canada, Russia, Greenland, and Scandinavia.
Reindeer noses can develop a reddish hue due to densely packed blood vessels near the surface of the skin. On average, reindeer have a 25 percent higher concentration of blood vessels in their noses, according to a 2012 study. Blood flow in the nose can increase or decrease to maintain the reindeer’s body temperature.
When reindeer need to cool down, their noses appear red because blood is getting pumped closer to the skin. It’s kind of like when humans with fairer skin get flushed cheeks.
Reindeer use a similar mechanism to regulate the temperature of the skin on their legs. It’s their way of conserving energy. Over the warmer months, they build up large fat reserves and use them for energy in the winter.
Reindeer noses are not the only parts of their bodies that can change color. In the summer, part of the back of their eye turns a gold-turquoise color.
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In winter, it becomes a shade of deep blue. The color change has to do with eye pressure and the spacing of collagen fibers. It helps optimize light usage throughout the year.
Reindeer are extremely important to the health of the Arctic forests and grasslands. They also have great cultural significance for the Indigenous peoples who live in the region.
Unfortunately, reindeer are at risk of extinction. Over the past couple of decades, the global population has dropped from around 4.8 million to 2.9 million.
The main cause of their decline is human activity, including farming, mining, hunting, and deforestation. Now, climate change is a threat to the species’ survival as well.
The good news is that many reindeer are cared for in captivity, so the species are receiving protection from all that threatens their survival.
More About:Animals
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