Real reindeer is nothing like those you have seen on postcards. They are half-wild, half-tame wanderers in the fjälls. They are also masters of the cold, living by their natural instincts yet protected by their Sámi owners.
Reindeer embody the pulse of the Arctic. Their hollow fur traps air like a padded jacket, their thick undercoat shields them from icy winds, and their hooves act as natural snowshoes, treading lightly on frozen landscapes.
Inside their legs, blood circulates just enough to keep warmth in, while a layer of fat beneath their skin stores energy for lean months. Their noses, marvels of biology, reclaim warmth with every breath.
Even their behaviour is clever—they seek shelter from the wind, lie in the snow for insulation, and conserve energy when the cold bites hardest. Truly, reindeer are nature’s Arctic engineers.
Free living across the fjälls – and coming home
Reindeer are allowed to graze freely across Lapland. When roaming in the nature, they dig under the snow for lichen, grass, and buds, savour the first green shoots in spring, and feast on herbs, leaves, mushrooms, and flowering plants through summer and autumn.
Their life reflects the seasons: a continuous cycle of growth, survival, and renewal. And although most of Finland’s circa 200,000 reindeer live in the wilderness, they belong to their herders, bound by tradition, law, and care, forming one important part of Lapland’s ecosystem.
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