The reindeer's Great Migration covers hundreds of kilometers, and during the migration, the female reindeer usually leads the way, followed closely by the males.
During their migration, reindeer shed their fur as a marker for the coming year.
Most female deer give birth to calves, and reindeer calves can run alongside the herd within two or three days of birth, possessing speeds comparable to their parents.
When the deer herd filled the entire stretch of the river, they moved.
The massive herd of reindeer began to run in unison, their hoofbeats and calls blending together like a song of heaven and earth, displaying the full power of life.
Lin Qian gazed in awe at the enormous group, marveling at the beauty of nature, his mind free of any extraneous thoughts.
As the massive herd of deer began to move forward, the tiger mother's cold, icy eyes swept over the elderly, disabled, young, and those lagging behind the main group of reindeer.
So much prey, what a great hunting opportunity... What a pity.
When Courage first saw the huge herd of deer, it was wary and retreated. Although this was food it often ate, even the weakest species can be threatening when their numbers reach a certain level.
The young tiger, who had just embarked on the hunting journey and did not yet have enough strength to catch large animals, was slightly intimidated.
The little tiger had been eyeing the deer herd for a long time, and finally mustered up the courage to go out with his brother, just as the deer herd moved.
Seeing that neither his brother nor his mother showed any intention of making a move, Qiong grew anxious.
"Awooo!" It ran away! The food ran away!
The little tiger kept roaring anxiously, pulling Lin Qian out of her thoughts.
The tiger mom helplessly reached out her paw and patted her cub's little head.
Silly child, you can't catch me even if I don't run.
Lin Qian glanced at Tiger Mom, then at Courage, and chose to remain still.
He doesn't know much about the wild, but he does know a little about reindeer migration; he's seen documentaries about it before.
According to records, reindeer are the animals with the longest migration routes on Earth; their entire migration route, if laid end to end, could circle the Earth three times.
The main reason for reindeer migration is food shortage. They spend a lot of time every day searching for low-calorie foods like lichens and mosses to fill their stomachs, so they have to travel long distances every day to find them.
It can be said that a reindeer's entire life is spent searching for food.
Litmus is a favorite plant of reindeer, and mushrooms and tender branches and leaves of woody plants are also on their diet.
Reindeer have a strong ability to digest lichens. In winter, when everything else is barren, lichens and mosses become the main food source for reindeer.
Lichens are rich in unsaturated fatty acids, which are what give reindeer their ability to withstand the cold, so they don't have to worry about getting cold in winter.
However, lichens themselves are very low in nutrients, so reindeer usually lose a lot of weight after winter.
The migration of reindeer is one of the most spectacular sights in nature, and they are known as the "ships of the forest." Every year, they undertake a large-scale migration.
As reindeer travel from south to north in spring, their shed fur hangs along the path, forming road signs.
As the harsh winter approaches, they travel south along this road again. Their downy fur provides clear direction, making it impossible for them to go astray.
The phrase "a single hair can affect the whole body" is the most vivid description of this moment.
The deer herd began to move forward, with predators following closely behind, their bloodthirsty, covetous eyes fixed on the spot, their sharp claws poised to strike.
The mother tiger glanced at the lynx that had jumped into a nearby tree, scaring it away, and then slowly followed with her cubs.
It had no intention of hunting, so it followed at a leisurely pace, with the mother and her three cubs lagging far behind.
Following the deer herd, Lin Qian observed carefully and discovered that the route the deer had taken was marked with many brown and black hairs. Strands of reindeer hair were visible on the ground and trees, marking the trails accumulated by the deer herd over the years during their migrations.
"Awoo~" Courage called softly to its brother, came closer, and its long, thin tail swept against Lin Qian, its ingratiating meaning obvious.
Lin Qian said he "didn't understand," nuzzled his younger brother's head, and continued to follow Tiger Mom closely, completely unmoved.
The little guy is incredibly bold; he wants to go out hunting deer. This is an invitation to him to join in.
Yes, despite its seemingly clumsy appearance, the little tiger is not stupid. It knows that its strength is not enough, so it chooses to cooperate with its brother.
In the little guy's memory, the success rate of hunting with his older brother was very high.
But its little brain obviously couldn't understand that the high success rate was because Lin Qian carefully selected his prey each time, and decisively gave up on any prey he couldn't catch.
But no matter how it called out or urged, Lin Qian remained unmoved.
This made Yongqi very frustrated. His older brother wasn't like this before. When his brother took him to catch rabbits and hunt wild boars, he was very brave.
The tiger mother looked at her eager youngest son with a hint of relief. Being willing to take action and showing interest in prey was not a bad thing in the wild.
However, mature predators must learn to be cautious and protect themselves. The little guy doesn't have a clear sense of self-awareness. He wants to participate in the "feast" with his small body. The little guy's temperament still needs to be tempered.
Turning to look at her eldest son, Tiger Mom was somewhat worried. This child lacked drive, which was a weakness for a wild animal.
However, thinking about Lin Qian's previous hunting achievements, Tiger Mom stopped worrying. As long as she could catch prey, there was nothing to worry about.
Lin Qian, focused on the deer herd, was completely unaware of the tiger mother's worry for him. The little tiger's eyes were fixed intently on the deer herd, full of curiosity.
He had read an article that said reindeer's eyes change color with the seasons.
In summer, the eyes are golden yellow to adapt to prolonged exposure to sunlight; in winter, the eyes turn blue to sense more light, thus enhancing night vision.
Lin Qian was very curious about this, but unfortunately, he was now a tiger, and a colorblind one.
He couldn't tell the color of the reindeer's eyes at that moment.
As a colorblind tiger, Lin Qian regrets not being able to see the color of a reindeer's eyes. But with his excellent eyesight, the tiger can see many details that are invisible to the human eye.
Perhaps this is what is meant by "fortune and misfortune are intertwined," and that every sip and every bite is predetermined.
The deer herd moved very carefully, maintaining a steady and orderly pace to ensure that most of them could keep up and avoid being left behind and suffering a terrible fate.
The stag king, a size larger than its kin, sported enormous antlers and would occasionally let out a loud call, as if reminding the reindeer behind it to follow.
Reindeer are aware of predators around them, so they are very vigilant, but even the most vigilant can have moments of oversight.
For example, newly born fawns, unaware of the hidden dangers in the forest, are in a stage of lacking safety awareness. Under the protection of their mothers and the herd, they feel safe and do not perceive any danger.
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