Svalbard reindeer

Female Svalbardren

The Svalbard reindeer (Rangifer tarandus platyrhynchus, norw svalbardrein, also: spitsbergenrein ) is a small endemic subspecies of the reindeer, which is on the high Arctic archipelago of Svalbard at home. It is an example for a so-called Inselverzwergung.

Some scientists suspect that it was an immigrant from Eurasia long time ago. Others think it would be a very close relative of the extinct Rangifer tarandus eogroenlandicus, and it could have come from the direction of Greenland.

Differences to continental relatives

The Svalbard reindeer differs from its relatives in anatomy and behavior. Short, strong legs and a relatively small, stocky body and a stocky head make his physique from. In autumn, a very thick layer of fat, it has eaten in order to survive the extremely long winter of up to nine months can.

Overall, these animals are smaller and lighter than their relatives on the continents. Only the Peary Caribou, which is found on Ellesmere Iceland, they still resembles quite strong.

Through long fjords, high mountains and extensive glaciers, the Svalbard reindeer is severely limited in its movement. Summer and winter hikes are limited to a few valleys where they were mostly born. Also on Spitsbergen there are populations that are no longer available by the topography of each other in exchange.

By hocharktische spread the Svalbard Reindeer are not enough fodder plants. Therefore, your food is no longer primarily of lichens, mosses and higher plants but make their food from. If covered by a layer of ice in winter rain from the soil and the animals no longer reach also by vigorous scratching with her front hooves on plant food, the population can be reduced by up to 80 % during winter. Animals that live on the coast, sometimes help with angespültem Tang about these times away.

Stock

In Svalbard reindeer live an estimated 10,000, which is about a quarter of the total domestic reindeer in Norway. The Norwegian populations are thereby classified as stable.