Today’s Daily Public Domain image is from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Santa didn’t actually misplace a reindeer – this is a tame reindeer from the research department at the University of Alaska. Speaking of Santa’s reindeer – speculation has it that they are all really girls! Reindeer females as well as the males grow antlers. Mature males, however, have theirs in the late summer and fall and usually shed them by November or early December. Females, on the other hand, usually grow their antlers later in the year and keep them through the winter. However, young males may also keep their antlers through the winter, so Santa’s reindeer could all be perpetually young, too! Then again, they are magic miniature flying reindeer, and the usual ‘rules’ probably don’t apply to them!

In any case, enjoy the photo, which, like all the images on the FWS website, is public domain [though giving the photographer credit would be a nice thing to do!]. Click to see it full-sized.

Karma Krelle, YACC, holds a tame reindeer at the University of Alaska Fairbanks. Photo by Robin L. West, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, FWS-797.

Peace,

Bekka

Tags: .jpg, Alaska, animal, bw, caribou, Christmas, daily public domain, DPD, free, FWS, graphics, holiday, image, photograph, public domain, reindeer, Santa, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, USFWS, Winter, woman, Xmas