Reindeer program gets wide publicity

Rip the reindeer on a visit to a high school science class

It’s Christmas and the media’s mind turns to reindeer. Each December UAF’s Reindeer Research Program Manager Greg Finstad can expect phone calls from reporters looking for a cute angle about the animals who allegedly pull Santa’s sleigh.

This year was no exception. Last week, Associated Press writer Betsy Blaney contacted Finstad to ask whether "Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer" was male or female. Blaney linked the Reindeer Research Program website to her story, which ran in newspapers across the country.

In the AP article, "Wildlife experts ponder gender of Santa's reindeer," Finstad suggests that Rudolph was likely a castrated male (steer). His theory was that females would be pregnant at Christmastime and if Santa was good at animal husbandry he would not hook up expectant moms to a sled.

By Friday, Finstad was fielding calls from newspapers, radio stations, TV stations, and receiving numerous e-mails. Radio talk show hosts queried him about spending tax dollars researching the sex of Santa’s reindeer. “You wouldn’t believe all the phone calls,” Finstad said. “I got a lot of grief.”

Finstad tries to use these occasions to educate the public about the reindeer industry in Alaska, the economic importance of the animals, and the healthy benefits of eating reindeer meat. He also points out the real research his program does, including meat science, range management and nutrition, educational outreach, animal health, radio and satellite telemetry.

The wave of grievance phone calls was exhausting. “I was not so cheery by the end of the day,” Finstad said. But he was glad that the situation was not as bad as the year he shared with reporters his family tradition of cooking a reindeer hindquarter on Christmas Eve. When he jokingly referred to the dish as “rump of Rudolph” media representatives were not amused. “You eat Santa’s reindeer?” was the astonished reaction.

Reindeer Pot Roast
1 3-pound reindeer pot roast

1/4 lb salt pork

1 1/4 c water

salt and pepper to taste

1 bay leaf

4 carrots, peeled and cubed

4 turnips, peeled and cubed

4 potatoes, peeled and cubed

6 small onions
Wipe meat with damp cloth, then. Rub with flour, salt, and pepper. Fry salt pork (or bacon) in dutch oven over medium heat. Brown meat on all sides in the fat. Remove meat. Brown 2 tablespoons flour in fat. Set meat on low rack in dutch oven. Add water and seasonings. Cover and simmer for about 3 hours, or until meat is nearly tender. Place vegetables around and over meat and continue cooking for about 30 minutes or until vegetables are tender. Serve roast, sliced, surrounded with vegetables. Thicken the gravy if necessary with 2 tablespoons flour blended with 2 tablespoons butter and serve with meat. Serves 4.