Why Santa’s sleigh may need more reindeer
MUCH of the modern perception of Christmas stems from the American poet Clement Clarke Moore’s 1823 work, A Visit from St Nicholas.
His poem contains all the hallmarks of the festive season with St Nicholas and his sleigh of toys dragged about by Dasher, Dancer, Prancer, Vixen, Comet, Cupid, Donder and Blitzen (Rudolph was invented a century later). “To the top of the porch,” St Nick cries. “To the top of the wall. Now dash away, dash away, dash away all.”
This week the British Ecological Society received some unfestive reindeer news.
A 16-year study on the Norwegian island of Svalbard has revealed the average reindeer weight has declined by 12 per cent, from 55kg when the survey began to 48kg in 2010.
The reason, according to Prof Steve Albon and his colleagues, is climate change. Less chilly winters mean rain is falling instead of snow and freezing into ice sheets, making it harder for the herbivores to reach plant food. Some reindeer starve and females often give birth to stunted young.
A separate study published last month by researchers including from Oxford University, discovered rain falling instead of snow was also decimating the reindeer herds of Siberia’s Yamal Peninsula. One event in November 2013 resulted in 61,000 reindeer deaths, out of the entire 275,000 reindeer on the peninsula.
“While I doubt we will see the extinction of reindeer across their circumpolar range,” said Prof Albon, pointing to more plants in summer, “Santa may need more to pull the laden sleigh.”
Perhaps a modern update to Clement Clarke’s poem is required. And a few more reindeer names.
Every year the present sack gets bigger, but the animals required to drag them grow diminished. There is a modern-day Christmas parable in that.