{
  "@context": "https://schema.org",
  "@type": "Taxon",
  "slug": "reindeer",
  "name": "Reindeer",
  "scientificName": "Rangifer tarandus",
  "category": "Mammal",
  "summary": "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.",
  "conservationStatus": "Vulnerable",
  "taxonomy": {
    "kingdom": "Animalia",
    "phylum": "Chordata",
    "class": "Mammalia",
    "order": "Artiodactyla",
    "family": "Cervidae",
    "genus": "Rangifer"
  },
  "stats": {
    "weightKg": 120,
    "lengthM": 2,
    "topSpeedKmh": 80,
    "lifespanYears": 15
  },
  "facts": [
    {
      "label": "Scientific name",
      "value": "Rangifer tarandus"
    },
    {
      "label": "Diet",
      "value": "Herbivore — lichens, grasses, leaves, and mushrooms"
    },
    {
      "label": "Habitat",
      "value": "Arctic tundra, boreal forest, and mountain plateaus"
    },
    {
      "label": "Lifespan",
      "value": "12–15 years in the wild"
    },
    {
      "label": "Weight",
      "value": "60–180 kg (130–400 lb); bulls larger"
    },
    {
      "label": "Top speed",
      "value": "Up to 80 km/h (50 mph) in flight"
    },
    {
      "label": "Conservation status",
      "value": "Vulnerable (IUCN)"
    }
  ],
  "range": {
    "nativeRange": "Arctic tundra and boreal forest from Scandinavia and Russia through Alaska and Canada to Greenland; wild caribou in North America, herded reindeer in Eurasia.",
    "continents": [
      "Asia",
      "Europe",
      "North America"
    ]
  },
  "sources": [
    {
      "citation": "IUCN Red List — Rangifer tarandus.",
      "url": "https://www.iucnredlist.org/search?query=Rangifer%20tarandus&searchType=species"
    },
    {
      "citation": "Animal Diversity Web — Rangifer tarandus. University of Michigan Museum of Zoology.",
      "url": "https://animaldiversity.org/accounts/Rangifer_tarandus/"
    }
  ],
  "lastReviewed": "2026-07-16",
  "canonicalUrl": "https://globalanimalguide.org/animals/reindeer/",
  "license": {
    "name": "CC BY-NC 4.0",
    "url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/",
    "attribution": "Global Animal Guide — https://globalanimalguide.org/animals/reindeer/",
    "note": "Free to reuse for non-commercial purposes with attribution and a link back to the canonical page."
  }
}