# What Do Reindeers Eat?

> What reindeers eat: Herbivore — lichens, grasses, leaves, and mushrooms, foraging style, and seasonal shifts in Arctic tundra, boreal forest, and mountain plateaus.

- **Species:** Reindeer (*Rangifer tarandus*)
- **Conservation status:** Vulnerable
- **Diet:** Herbivore — lichens, grasses, leaves, and mushrooms
- **Habitat:** Arctic tundra, boreal forest, and mountain plateaus
- **Lifespan:** 12–15 years in the wild
- **Top speed:** Up to 80 km/h (50 mph) in flight
- **Canonical HTML:** https://globalanimalguide.org/animals/reindeer/what-do-reindeer-eat/
- **Parent profile:** https://globalanimalguide.org/animals/reindeer/
- **Last reviewed:** 2026-07-16

## Quick answer

Reindeer — called caribou in North America — are Arctic deer where both sexes grow antlers, undertaking the longest land migrations of any terrestrial mammal. Herds cross tundra from Alaska to Scandinavia, support Indigenous herding cultures, and are listed Vulnerable from climate change and disturbance.

## Who should skip this page

Skip this if you need a captive feeding plan from a veterinarian. This page is wild diet, not a pet-care sheet.

## Epic migration

Some barren-ground caribou herds travel over 5,000 km annually between calving grounds and winter range — the longest terrestrial migration on Earth. Calving synchrony on Arctic tundra overwhelms predators, but warming disrupts timing and insect harassment increases.

## Help protect the Reindeer

Arctic reindeer herds face climate change, fencing, and industrial development on migration routes.

[Donate to habitat protection](https://worldanimalrescuenetwork.org/newsroom/habitat-loss-wildlife-extinction/)

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Source: Global Animal Guide (https://globalanimalguide.org/animals/reindeer/what-do-reindeer-eat/). Licensed CC BY-NC 4.0 — free for non-commercial reuse with attribution.