What is the difference between reindeer and deer?


Quick Answer

White-tailed deer live in meadows and forests, and they have poor adaptations for snow, whereas reindeer live in cold areas and have special split hooves for walking on ice and snow. Both male and female reindeer also have antlers. In contrast, only the male of the species for White-tailed deer have antlers.

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What is the difference between reindeer and deer?
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Full Answer

According to the Arctic Studies Center, reindeer have much thicker fur than their white-tailed cousins. This helps reindeer handle the harsh, cold-weather climates they live in. The White-tailed Deer live in areas of Canada and in the United States, including warmer states, such as Louisiana.

The white-tailed deer is the most common type of deer in the United States, and it is also the most iconic, most people recognize it from the movie “Bambi.”

Reindeer have special noses that warm the air they breathe in before it reaches their lungs. This makes it easier for them to breathe air in freezing locations.

Another important difference between deer and reindeer is that the term "deer" refers to a family, where reindeer is a particular species. Although the term “deer” usually refers to common species such as the White-tailed Deer and not reindeer, technically reindeer are a type of deer.

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