WILDLIFE DISCOVERY : Reindeer; friends of Santa Claus

The reindeer is popular because it is associated with Santa Claus and his sleigh. The “rein” in reindeer does not refer to the reins of a sleigh. It is an old Norwegian word for “deer”, so when you say “reindeer”, you are really just saying “deer-deer.” Reindeer inhabit the northern, colder parts of the continents of Europe, Asia and North America. Many people, who live in these areas, keep huge herds of reindeer. It’s believed that they were domesticated roughly 2,000 years ago.