Reindeer Raised by Humans Joins Christmas Herd

A reindeer calf, hand-raised by humans in the United Kingdom, is now part of the working herd and will appear at Christmas events. The calf, named Lars, was born in May. His mother could not feed him because she did not produce enough milk. Staff at the reindeer farm then took over his care. Farm workers fed him by bottle and raised him by hand. This process is called "hand-rearing." Lars has now successfully joined the main herd. He is learning to pull a sleigh and will participate in festive events this December. His training prepares him for public appearances, a key activity for many reindeer in the holiday season.