Wildlife In Norway IV - 2009

On the early January 2009 , Norway post issued the regular stamp  set of wildlife series. The issue comprised of 3 postage stamps as the fourth series of wildlife series that feature Roe deer, Reindeer, Grouse.

Roe deer (Capreolus capreolus)

Roe deer (Capreolus capreolus) are the smallest of Norway’s deer. The roe deer is a relatively small deer, with a body length of 95–135 cm,  a shoulder height of 65–75 cm and a weight of 15–35 kg . It has rather short, erect antlers and a reddish body with a grey face. Its hide is golden red in summer, darkening to brown or even black in winter, with lighter undersides and a white rump patch; the tail is very short (2–3 cm), and barely visible. Only the males have antlers.The roe deer attains a maximum life span (in the wild) of ten years.

Reindeer (Rangifer tarandus)

Reindeer ( Rangifer tarandus) vary considerably in color and size. Both sexes grow antlers, though they are typically larger in males. There are a few populations where females lack antlers completely.

Wild reindeer hunting and herding of semi-domesticated reindeer (for meat, hides, antlers, milk and transportation) are important to several Arctic and Subarctic peoples. Reindeer are thought to be the only mammals that can see ultraviolet light.Reindeer are ruminants, having a four-chambered stomach. They mainly eat lichens in winter, especially reindeer moss. However, they also eat the leaves of willows and birches, as well as sedges and grasses.

Today, wild reindeer have disappeared from many areas within this large historical range, especially from the southern parts, where it vanished almost everywhere. Large populations of wild reindeer are still found in Norway, Finland, Siberia, Greenland, Alaska, and Canada.

The Willow grouse (Lagopus lagopus)

The Willow Grouse (Lagopus lagopus),  is a bird of the grouse subfamily. It is a sedentary species, breeding in birch and other forests and moorlands in the tundra of Scandinavia, Siberia, Alaska, northern Canada. It is unusual to come across grouse in the mountains and hills of Norway.

In summer male's plumage is marbled brown, with a reddish hue to the neck and breast, a black tail, and white wings and under-parts. It has two inconspicuous wattles above the eyes, which become prominent in the breeding season. The female is similar, but lacks the wattles and has brown feathers strewn all over the belly. In winter, both sexes plumages become completely white, except for the black tail.(Sources: Norway Post Bulletin, Wikipedia)