Reindeer and caribou are the same thing. Reindeer have several names. Santa’s reindeer are most likely R. tarandus platyrhynchus, a subspecies in Svalbard.

Svalbard Reindeer The Svalbard reindeer (Rangifer tarandus platyrhynchus) is a subspecies of reindeer adapted uniquely to the harsh Arctic environment on Norway's Svalbard archipelago.

These cuties are wild, non-domesticated reindeer endemic to the Norwegian Svalbard archipelago in the Arctic Ocean. In winter, they look adorable with thick fluffy light grey or yellow-white fur.

This subspecies of reindeer is only found on Norway’s Svalbard archipelago and stands at roughly five-feet long and three-feet tall and about half the size of other reindeer.

On Norway’s Svalbard archipelago, a rare animal is thriving—for now Photographs by Morgan Heim Text by Cheryl Katz Svalbard reindeer graze during an early snowfall. If temperatures rise again ...

The Svalbard reindeer is the smallest of all reindeer subspecies and survives bitter winter cold, snow, and nearly 4 months of total darkness.

A research team is studying how expanding populations of two local herbivores -- reindeer and geese -- on Svalbard will impact the future of the ecosystem on the islands.

In the Arctic's brutal environment, the Svalbard reindeer defies extinction with remarkable adaptations, low genetic diversity, and a surprising survival strategy.

Despite inbreeding and limited genetic diversity, the Svalbard reindeer has managed to adapt to extreme living conditions in record time – what researchers call a genetic paradox. But can they survive ...