Reindeer
Reindeer, known as caribou in North America, are deer in the genus Rangifer. For the last few decades, reindeer were assigned to one species, Rangifer tarandus, with about 10 subspecies. A 2022 revision of the genus elevated five of the subspecies to species. They have a circumpolar distribution and are native to the Arctic, sub-Arctic, tundra, boreal forest, and mountainous regions of northern Europe, Siberia, and North America. Reindeer occur in both migratory and sedentary populations, and their herd sizes vary greatly in different regions. The tundra subspecies are adapted for extreme cold, and some are adapted for long-distance migration. Reindeer vary greatly in size and color from the smallest species, the Svalbard reindeer, to the largest subspecies, Osborn's caribou. Although reindeer are quite numerous, some species and subspecies are in decline and considered vulnerable.
