Caribou

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Caribous

Antlers All Around?: Known in Europe and Asia as reindeer, the caribou is the only species of deer in which both sexes bear antlers. Males lose them in the spring; females lose them when they give birth in June.

The Four Seasons: Huge herds spend the winter feeding in boreal forests. In the spring, they migrate hundreds of miles north to calving grounds in the tundra. They wander all summer, feeding on leaves of small shrubs, aromatic plants, grasses, sedges, fungi and lichens; in the fall, they breed.

Not All Alike: Eight subspecies are recognized, each varying in size, shape and color. In Europe, they have been domesticated and are used to pull sleighs since their broad hooves are suited for walking in deep snow

DID YOU KNOW?

Smelling Through Snow: Caribou can smell lichen beneath snow, an important adaptation that helps it endure the winter.

Alaskan Stronghold: There are more caribou in Alaska than there are people; in fact, at over one million head, there are nearly twice as many.

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The Caribou

Caribou Profile
Caribou, also called reindeer, are found in northern regions of North America, Europe, Asia, and Greenland.

As summer approaches, caribou herds head north in one of the world's great large-animal migrations. They may travel more than 600 miles (965 kilometers) along well trod annual routes. At the end of their journey, they spend the summer feeding on the abundant grasses and plants of the tundra. In these rich grounds, an adult caribou can eat 12 pounds (5 kilograms) of food each day.

During migration, herds of cows (female caribou) leave several weeks before the males, who follow with yearling calves from the previous birthing season.

Caribou have large hooves that are useful tools for life in the harsh northlands. They are big enough to support the animal's bulk on snow and to paddle it efficiently through the water. The hoof's underside is hollowed out like a scoop and used for digging through the snow in search of food. Its sharp edges give the animal good purchase on rocks or ice.

Caribou are the only deer in which male and females both have antlers—though only some females have them. Cows have one calf each year, which can stand after only a few minutes and move on with its mother by the next day.

When the first snows fall each year, the caribou turn south and complete a migration that sees them travel as many as 1,600 miles (2,574 kilometers) each year. They spend the winter in more sheltered climes and survive by feeding on lichens.

Caribou are traditionally vital to indigenous northern people throughout much of their range.

Caribou Range (In the yellow)

Fast Facts

Type: Mammal
Diet: Herbivore
Average lifespan in the wild: 15 years
Size: 4 to 5 ft (1.2 to 1.5 m) at the shoulder
Weight: 240 to 700 lbs (109 to 318 kg)
Group name: Herd
Protection status: Endangered

Size relative to a 6-ft (2-m) man

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Credit:

Information © AnimalPlanet.com
Information & Pictures © NationalGeographic.com