What is the difference between caribou and reindeer?

Reindeer and caribou are actually the same species, Rangifer tarandus, but there are substantial differences between the two. Caribou are large, wild, elk-like animals which can be found in northern North America and Greenland and have never been domesticated. read more

• As it is mentioned in the start, the two names caribou and reindeer differ according to the place. People of Europe and Asia call them reindeer, but they are known as caribou in North America. • There are five caribou subspecies (two extinct) in Canadian tundra and American woodlands. read more

Reindeer and caribou share the same genus, Rangifer, and species name, tarandus. Domestication is the biggest difference between reindeer and caribou. Reindeer are a semidomesticated subspecies of Rangifer, and there are many subspecies of both reindeer and caribou in Alaska. read more