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Researchers have discovered that the more time reindeer spend ruminating, the less time they spend in non-rapid eye movement (non-REM) sleep.
EEG recordings revealed that reindeer’s brainwaves during rumination resemble the brain waves present during non-REM sleep.
These brainwave patterns suggest that the reindeer are more “rested” after ruminating.
The researchers speculate that this multitasking might help reindeer get enough sleep during the summer months.
When food is abundant and reindeer feed almost 24/7.
The results were published on December 22 in the journal Current Biology.
Reindeer
Common Name: Sangai, Brow antlered deer, Dancing Deer
Scientific Name: Rucervus eldii
The brow-antlered deer, or sangai, is the state animal of Manipur.
The animal’s coat is a dark reddish brown during winter months and it becomes a much lighter shade in summer.
Native to Cambodia, China, India, Laos and Myanmar, these animals were earlier spread widely across habitats in south and south-east Asia.
The deer’s habitat has varied from shrubland and grassland to dry forests and marshland, depending on the country they’re found in.
In India, these animals are found only in Manipur’s famed Loktak lake.
While globally habitat loss has been a grave concern in the conservation of this deer, hunting is an additional threat in Manipur.
While the habitats have been encroached for grazing, cultivation, and fish farming, the animals are highly threatened by a hydro-electric project in the lake.
IUCN Red List: Endangered
CITES: Appendix I
WPA 1972: Schedule-I
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