June 10, 2006

Unfrozen Reindeer




















All of us are pretty familiar with reindeer, them being made popular along with Santa Claus and chimneys and snow. Oh, and not forgetting dear Rudolph with his red nose.

But it is true, these herbivorous carribou have this warm, fatherly look about them. In my imagination, when a reindeer talks, it will be a deep, gentle and soothing tone to it. Lol.
















But as warm and friendly we might like them to be, reindeer have to make a pretty brutal journey across theArctic region annually. Why brutal? Clearly you've never been to the Arctic. It's just snow and ice and a dimly lighted sun. Despite being herbivores, food is still pretty rare.

Not to mention the freezing temperatures? It's pretty obvious reindeer don't have the kind of blubber penguins, polar bears and walruses all have.

Their simple anti-freeze trick? Moss.

















Most animals don't eat moss because it isn't easy to digest and has little nutrients. I can't tell you about the taste since vegetables (which I assume most herbivores love) isn't exactly peanut butter to me.

Anyway, before the long journey, reindeers will fill up with lots and lots of moss because it contains a chemical that helps the body of the reindeer keep warm. This prevents them from freezing to death.

I wonder if it works with humans too. Then the Everest climbers could just keep a diet of strawberry-flavoured moss or something. ;)