When I was a kid I, like everyone else, dreamt of Santa Claus riding on his sleigh on Christmas Eve, visiting every single house to give presents to the children. The animal that pulls Santa’s sleigh is the caribou (also known as reindeer). Caribou have some distinct characteristics on their bodies that enable them to adapt to the difficult conditions of climate in the Arctic areas. Caribou have two layers of fur, providing excellent insulation, keeping warmth inside and coldness outside. Their hooves can change its hardness with season, allowing them to have good traction on the soft and wet tundra in summer, and also on the ice and crusted snow in winter. Caribou are born to be long-distance runners. When caribou migrate, they can travel distances of 15-65km in a single day. Caribou can run as fast as 80km per hour and they are also good swimmers. These characteristics made the caribou the chosen messenger of happiness for Santa Claus.
Most people have probably seen different forms of Santa Claus in Christmas, but many of us may not be familiar with the caribou. The caribou is different from other types of deer in that both sexes grow antlers. In the Frozen North gallery of the Park, we can see a caribou specimen on the tundra slice model. There, we can learn about caribou’s characteristics and its habitat. In the same exhibit, we can also see caribou’s neighbours: the arctic fox and the lemmings, as well as their food: lichens and moss.
Although the caribou are only found in North America and northern parts of Europe and Asia, their influence is felt across the globe. Every Christmas, caribou symbolize tireless commitment and persistence as they go extraordinary distances to bring happiness to people. We should learn from the caribou and bring joy to everyone around us in this festival.