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Caribou
Caribou are the species of reindeer native to North America. Caribou as well are classified into subgroubs: the Peary Caribou in Labrador; Barren Ground Caribou, which form the large free-roaming herds in the Arctic; Mountain Caribou, the smallest of the species; Woodland Caribou, the largest of the species. The latter two groups are endangered species. There are some small inherent differences between caribou and reindeer but they are the same species and readily interbreed. This is causing some major problems in the northern reindeer herds because the caribou migration has in recent years moved farther west into reindeer territory. Reindeer and caribou are strongly herd animals - their very survival depends on being part of a herd. When the caribou migrate into an area where there are reindeer herds, the reindeer do not differentiate and naturally join up with the caribou herd. Thus the Inuit herders lose their reindeer. This is not good news for the reindeer either. During the migration to the calving grounds in the spring the reindeer females will mostly calve en route since one of the differences between reindeer and caribou is that reindeer calve approximately a month earlier than caribou. The reindeer moms are left behind by the herd and virtually 100% of the babies are being lost to predators and probably some of the females as well since they have lost the protection of the herd. |
Page updated Nov. 2004
