Science says that’s almost definitely not true. Males only start recovering their antlers in the spring, and as Santa’s reindeer all have antlers, that kind of points towards females.

“Rudolph the Red-nose Reindeer” is a song that captured kids’ hearts when it first topped the charts in 1949. It then became a television special hit 15 years later, and it’s still a ...

As far as their added weight, it’s all about reproduction. “With all reindeer and caribou, that’s [the fat] the currency they use for survival and reproduction,” says Dwinnell.

View Full Profile. Learn about our Editorial Policies. With their hooves crunching over fallen leaves, reindeers dash into white, snowy landscapes—and folklore—as Christmas approaches. These majestic ...