About
The Caribou, also known as the Reindeer in Europe, is a species of deer found all around the world. The word rein is of Norse origin.The word deer was originally broader in meaning, but became more specific over time. In Middle English, der meant a wild animal of any kind, in contrast to cattle. The word Caribou comes through French, from the Mi’kmaq qalipu, meaning ‘snow shoveler’ and referring to its habit of pawing through the snow for food. Both male and female reindeer grow antlers, while in most other deer species, only the males have antlers. Santa’s reindeer were first mentioned in 1821 when New York printer William Gilley published a 16-page booklet titled ‘A New Year’s Present to the Little Ones from Five to Twelve, Part III’ by an anonymous author.
― In-game description