How Good a Reindeer Herder Are You?
08 February 2021 20:00
What do you know about reindeer herders in the tundra? Test your knowledge!
When temperatures drop below -34° C during severe tundra winters, the reindeer herders move from one location to another searching for new lichen pastures. Our Tundra Wonder Mums feature documentary explains how they run their households in such harsh climates, what traditions they uphold and what difficulties they face. Test your tundra knowledge in our quiz and watch our film to fill in the gaps!
-
1 of 8Why should reindeer herders change their location every 2-3 days?
-
Reindeer have to eat, and the lichen becomes depleted in a few days
Exactly! Do you know that lichen has medicinal properties and is used in medicine?
-
It is a nomadic people’s way of life
Oh, no. Actually, reindeer food becomes exhausted quickly and they need to move
-
Who said that? Reindeer herders usually stay for months in one pasture
Unfortunately, no, tundra lichen ends up sooner or later in the parking places
-
Reindeer have to eat, and the lichen becomes depleted in a few days
-
2 of 8How long does it take to prepare chum?
-
It takes about 2-3 hours
No! Sometimes women do that in half an hour. Can you imagine?
-
It takes less than 1 hour
You are right! Did you know it’s a job only for women?
-
It is going to take a lot of hard work and even half a day to set it up
Fortunately, no, it only seems to be very difficult, but for skilled women, it takes less than an hour
-
It takes about 2-3 hours
-
3 of 8Why do helicopters fly to the tundra at the end of August?
-
To bring food to the reindeer herders
Oh, no. The only reason is to deliver children to the beginning of the school year
-
To take children to school
Sure! It is the fastest way to get into the city. It takes a couple of days on ATV to reach the city…
-
To count the livestock of the reindeer herds
You are wrong, children need to start their school year and helicopters bring them to the towns
-
To bring food to the reindeer herders
-
4 of 8How do the reindeer herders communicate in the tundra?
-
Via gadgets, of course
Right! The way of life has changed a lot and even people on the tundra have telephones, but finding the internet remains a great challenge
-
Teams set up place and time to meet at a specific location
Wrong! It is not the Stone Age, they have telephones
-
They send specially trained reindeer with notes
Wrong! Santa is the only one to have reindeer that well-educated, herders have gadgets
-
Via gadgets, of course
-
5 of 8There are few vitamins in the tundra, and there is one thing that helps reindeer herders make up for it. What can it be?
-
People in the tundra consume dried lichen
That’s wrong! they drink fresh blood of young reindeer. But! Lichen is useful too - if you take it systematically, you will be more resistant to stress
-
Ground reindeer antlers in small doses
You were so close, but no. people drink fresh blood of young reindeer because it contains a lot of vitamins and haemoglobin
-
The fresh blood of young reindeer
Yes! People store blood in bags from the reindeer’s peritoneum. Sometimes blood is salted and dipped meat and fish in it
-
People in the tundra consume dried lichen
-
6 of 8Like centuries ago, the wealth of a reindeer herder is still measured by the size of his herd… How many reindeer should be in a herd to consider its owner a rich man?
-
1,000-1,500 reindeer
No, only 2,000-3,000 reindeer are enough to consider you a wealthy person.
-
2,000-3,000 reindeer
Right! A wealthy reindeer herder may have a 2,000-3,000 reindeer herd
-
300 - 500 reindeer
You’re mistaken, it should be about 2000 -3000 reindeer
-
1,000-1,500 reindeer
-
7 of 8Reindeer were also used during WWII. More than 10,000 animals were mobilised. Why were reindeer so popular during the war?
-
Reindeer are very resilient animals
Wrong! The truth is reindeer do not make any sound when wounded
-
Reindeer don’t make any sound when wounded
Exactly! In the Kola Arctic, they were used to evacuate the wounded and deliver military supplies
-
Reindeer were faster than horses
It isn’t true, the main reason was a fantastic reindeer ability not to make any sound when wounded
-
Reindeer are very resilient animals
-
8 of 8Where did reindeer herding originate?
-
In the northern territories of China and Mongolia
It is false. Actually, reindeer herding was born in Russia
-
In the western hemisphere
No, reindeer herding originated in Russia. In the western hemisphere the first domestic reindeer appeared only in 1892 - in Alaska.
-
In Russia
You are right! It presumably originated in the Samoyedic and Tungusic peoples of the Altai-Sayan highlands
-
In the northern territories of China and Mongolia
-
/ 8
Not bad; you are on the right track! Watch our film Tundra Wonder Mums to reveal more interesting facts and try the quiz again!!
Share
-
/ 8
You are excellent! To become a real connoisseur of the tundra, go ahead and watch our “Tundra Wonder Mums” documentary.
Share
-
/ 8
Looks like you are a real tundra expert! To enjoy more stories about this fantastic place and people who live there watch our free Tundra Wonder Mums documentary.
Share