Reindeer antlers, more than just a horn, a story to tell

The reindeer, a majestic mammal

Reindeer live in the northern regions of the globe in forests and large meadows. Here are the regions of the globe where reindeer can be found:

• Finland
• Norway
• Canada
• Greenland
• Mongolia
• United States
• Russia

^{Map of reindeer/caribou distribution worldwide.}

Introducing the reindeer

What's the difference between reindeer and caribou?

Physically, there's no difference between reindeer and caribou! It's just a matter of naming the animal in different parts of the world. Wild reindeer living in Canada and the northern United States are called "caribou". When a reindeer lives in other parts of the world, or is domesticated, we call it "reindeer"!

The domesticated reindeer

It is estimated that the first domesticated reindeer lived in the Arctic regions around 3,000 years ago.

Over the years, reindeer domestication has spread to many parts of the globe, including Siberia, Scandinavia and Alaska. These are regions inhabited by indigenous peoples who have depended heavily on reindeer for many years.

But why did these peoples domesticate reindeer? Quite simply for survival. The reindeer is an animal that provides food (meat and milk), warmth, clothing (skin) and essential building materials (leather and bone) for survival in these hostile climates.

If these peoples have chosen to domesticate this majestic animal, it's because reindeer bring many advantages to these inhospitable environments. The first being food security, but that's not all. Reindeer were and still are used by indigenous peoples to transport goods and people. This enables them to move with the seasons and follow the migration of the reindeer herds.

Today, reindeer domestication is still very common in Siberia and Scandinavia. Take Finland, for example: Lapland is home to the Sami, an indigenous people who primarily live from reindeer herding. Reindeer husbandry is carried out in semi-free-range conditions, as in the past, helping to preserve cultural heritage and maintain a real connection between the animal and nature.

Reindeer husbandry allows the Sami to make a living from tourism, to produce meat and leather, and to sell reindeer antlers and hides.

How are reindeer antlers formed?

Antlers are bony structures that grow on the skulls of reindeer every year. Antlers are very strong and can grow to very large sizes. Unlike other cervids, female reindeer also have antlers, but they are much smaller in size. Male antlers can reach 1.30 m, while female antlers reach a maximum size of 50 cm.

For a female reindeer, antlers are used to defend her territory against other females or to find food. But when times are hard or food is scarce, females prefer to conserve their energy for more vital functions, and don't produce antlers.

You might think that the antlers only grow for aesthetic reasons, but, as with many things in nature, they have a real function for the animal. These velvet-covered antlers play a vital role in the survival and reproduction of these animals.

Reindeer antlers grow very quickly, thanks to the many nutrients and oxygen they contain. Antlers can grow up to 1 cm per day.

Reindeer antlers begin to grow in spring, then expand in summer. At first, only two small bumps can be seen on the top of the reindeer's skull.

By autumn, they have reached their maximum size and strength. This is also when the velvet starts to come off the antlers.

Why do reindeer antlers have a velvety appearance?

Is there velvet on reindeer antlers? Yes!

As the antlers grow, a layer of tissue covers them to protect them and ensure blood circulation. This velvet is rich in blood vessels and nerves. It ensures blood circulation in the bone for optimal growth.

At the end of growth, when the bone is fully developed, the velvet on the antlers dries out and comes away. Reindeer will then do everything to remove all the velvet from their antlers. To do this, there is only one thing: rub their antlers against the trunks of trees!

To feed themselves

Reindeer also use their antlers to knock fruit from trees or to dig holes in the ground or snow to find roots.

To defend themselves

Against attacks from predators such as wolves or bears, antlers can prove very useful. They can be used to repel an attacker, to wound it, or to deliver powerful, even lethal blows.

When do reindeer lose their antlers?

There are several factors that can cause a reindeer to lose its antlers:

1. When fighting another reindeer
2. In case of poor nutrition or health
3. Naturally after the rutting season

As mentioned above, the first sign is the loss of velvet. This moult is due to a drop in testosterone levels. Once moulting has begun, antler loss occurs rapidly, between 2 days and 2 weeks.

Reindeer shed their antlers between January and March. But the further north an animal lives, the earlier it sheds its antlers.

Reindeer antlers and handicrafts

In many northern indigenous societies, the people have a deep and respectful relationship with the reindeer. The antlers shed by the reindeer each year enable them to create objects for their daily lives, but also for sale, and thus help their villages prosper.
Many reindeer herders, as in Finnish Lapland, open their doors to tourists and introduce them to their trade. Tourists can discover a reindeer farm, meet the local people, eat local food and, above all, buy reindeer hides or objects made from reindeer antlers.

Reindeer antlers are therefore used to manufacture a wide range of products such as :

• Traditional objects of art
• Knives
• Jewelry
• Musical instruments
• Buttons on clothes

Reindeer antler is a highly versatile, natural and sustainable raw material.

In our boutique, we offer kuksa decorated with reindeer antlers, handmade in Finnish Lapland.

The importance of reindeer preservation

Today, reindeer and caribou are under increasing threat, and their numbers are declining year by year.

Their habitat is increasingly reduced in certain regions due to human actions or the installation of industries. These human impacts reduce food availability and disrupt reindeer migrations, exposing them to starvation and stress.

Global warming, which is affecting Arctic ecosystems, is altering the migration patterns of the herds, exposing them either to new predators or even harsher climatic conditions.

Unfortunately, it's not only that: there is also excessive hunting of wild reindeer and an increasing number of accidents between cars and reindeer. During their migration, reindeer cross many countries, towns and roads that are becoming increasingly populated.