No.310 · Mammals · Uncommon
Reindeer
Rangifer tarandus
Britain's only free-ranging reindeer, roaming the Cairngorms since a Swedish Sami herder brought the first ones over in 1952. Both bulls and cows grow antlers.
When to see a reindeer
All year, mostly at dawn, by day and at dusk.
- J
- F
- M
- A
- M
- J
- J
- A
- S
- O
- N
- D
Time of day
- Dawn
- Day
- Dusk
- Night
Where to see a reindeer in the UK
- The Cairngorms. The herd ranges over the high ground of Cairn Gorm.
Reindeer facts at a glance
- Best time
- All year, in daylight, on the high moorland of Cairn Gorm.
- Where in the game
- the Cairngorms (moorland and mountain)
- Population
- About 150, mostly on the Cairngorm mountains and the rest on the Glenlivet Estate (Cairngorm Reindeer Herd)
- Status
- A managed herd, looked after by its herders, rather than a wild population.
Diet
Summer means over 200 kinds of plant; lichens have long been the main food for reindeer in the Highlands.
Habitat
The high moorland and mountain slopes of the Cairngorms.
Breeding
A reindeer's pregnancy lasts 221 days. Cows and calves spend May in the hill enclosure.
Field signs
- Big, broad hoofprints in soft ground
- Grey-brown animals with pale necks moving together across the hillside
- Antlers on cows and calves as well as bulls
Did you know?
- Mikel Utsi, a Swedish Sami, and Dr Ethel Lindgren brought eight reindeer over from Sweden in 1952 to start the herd.
- Bulls, cows and calves all grow antlers each summer, which takes about five months. The herd's largest set weighed 8.9 kg.
- Reindeer are omnivorous: when shrubs are scarce in harsh conditions, they may even eat birds (Cairngorm Reindeer Herd).
Photo tip
They're used to people, so you won't need a big lens. Get down low so the antlers break the skyline, and wait for the herd to bunch.
Be a good naturalist
This is a working herd. Keep dogs on a lead, don't feed them, and give calves plenty of room. See them with the herders on a hill trip if you want to get close.
