Reindeer or caribou are scientifically classified as rangifer tarandus. They go by many names, but they represent a single genetic species adapted to one of the harshest climates on Earth. These animals possess distinct physiological advantages, including the rare ability among large mammals to perceive ultraviolet light, which allows them to spot predators and lichen in high contrast against the snow. Their adaptation extends to a specialized nasal cavity that warms freezing air before inhalation and hooves that alter their structure seasonally. The hooves expand for traction on soft summer tundra and tighten to grip hard winter ice.

Survival in the Arctic also relies on unique social and metabolic mechanisms. Reindeer herds navigate whiteout conditions using audible clicks produced by knee tendons, ensuring the group stays together when visibility is near zero. Their metabolism is equally specialized; mothers produce milk with a 20% fat content to accelerate calf growth, and the species has developed the ability to fulfill sleep requirements while chewing cud. This multitasking adaptation allows them to maximize nutrient intake from moss and lichens while maintaining the fat reserves and internal body heat necessary to withstand sub-zero temperatures.

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