Scientific Name: Rangifer tarandus caribou
- Caribou grazing | FWS
Habitat:
There are two main populations of caribou in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge: the porcupine caribou herd and central arctic caribou herd. The porcupine herd is always on the move- their range is the size of Wyoming in the Refuge and the Yukon and Northwest Territories. They winter in the southern portion of their range, including the Refuge, where they are an important resource for the Gwich’in people. The porcupine herd may travel more than 3000 miles during their yearly movements. The Central Arctic Caribou herd roams the central region of northern Alaska. Smaller than the Porcupine Caribou herd, which travels throughout the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge
Refuges where the Caribou can be found:
Description:
Caribou are large deer and the only deer in which both the male and female have antlers. They use their large hooves to traverse through the snow or barren landscape and their hooves are also efficient for paddling through the water. Hollowed out on the underside, their hooves are great for digging in the snow for food.
Caribou have one calf a year that can, amazingly, stand after only a few minutes of being born. By the next day they are usually able to get on the move with their mother and the rest of the herd. This amazing ability for such a young animal enables them to begin doing what they’ll be doing for the rest of their lives- migrating through the Alaskan wilderness. It also helps protect them from predators such as wolves and arctic foxes.
What NWRA is doing:
Help us protect the Arctic coastal plain in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge where the polar bear and many other species live. NWRA is part of a grassroots advocacy movement urging Congress to permanently designate the Arctic coastal plain as a wilderness area. A wilderness designation will keep oil and gas development out of this vitally important landscape. Read more.
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