Arctic Caribou

Latin name: Rangifer tarandus Common names: Caribou, reindeer Status (COSEWIC): Barren-ground caribou: Currently being assessed (Dolphin and Union herd: Special Concern) Peary caribou: Threatened

With its distinctive tall and flat antlers, the caribou is one of Canada’s most recognizable species, inhabiting the Arctic as well as boreal and mountain regions. Male caribou are called bulls and weigh around 150kg, while females are called cows and weigh around 90kg. These stately members of the deer family were once one of Canada’s most widespread wildlife species, found in over 80% of the country. Today though, their numbers are dropping

© David McGeachy dramatically—for many herds by more than 90%. CARIBOU RANGE Peary caribou (R.t. pearyi) are a subspecies of Barren-ground caribou (R.t. groenlandicus) migratory tundra caribou found in the High Arctic are migratory tundra caribou found right across the islands of the Northwest Territories and Nunavut. Canadian Arctic, inhabiting large swaths of mainland They are smaller in stature and lighter in colour than Nunavut and the Northwest Territories. The their mainland counterparts, with females weighing Dolphin-Union herd also inhabits Victoria Island, only 60kg. They remain on the islands of the Canadian migrating across the sea ice each year to access Arctic archipelago year round, migrating over the sea their traditional habitat. Permanent herds are found ice in the winter months to access lichen found under on both Southampton and Baffin Island. The more the ice and snow. southern herds migrate into the northern boreal forest of Saskatchewan and Manitoba for the winter. • • • • What WWFisDoing in caribouconservationprojects. northern caribouherds,communitiesareessentialpartners persistence ofcaribou,andastheonlypeoplelivingamongmost food andclothingformillennia.Withsuchastronginterestinthe caribou herds,andhavereliedonthemasasourceoftraditional peoples. Northerncommunitieshaveanintimaterelationshipwith Across theirrange,caribouareanessentialresourcetoIndigenous indigEnous P • • • are contributingtoPearyandbarren-groundcariboudecline. that stressors environmental andhuman-caused cumulative multiple levels andmayfailtorecoverfrom lows. Thereare natural population dangerous to numbers candrop threats, their external with When faced conditions. natural under dramatically fluctuate populations Caribou KEY Threats ice crossings used for migration between islands. for migration between crossings used ice Peary caribouhabitat, particularlysea protect initiatives, to help Studying the Last Ice Area, one of WWF’s flagship Arctic on caribouandtheirhabitat. development of industrial effects the and understand of herds status population monitor the Helping fund research on barren-ground caribou caribou habitats. in key to voluntarilysurrendermineralleases prepared companies partnerships with caribou, andthrough that threaten projects intervening in regulatory processes on specific development calving areas Promoting the protection of barren-ground caribou impacting caribouhabitat. processes are heardindecision-making on conservation issues viewpoints that community to ensure and expertise providing resources Working with northern communities populations andalackofreportedharvestinformation. challenging duetothedifficultyinassessingstatusof Harvest management industrial developmentoccursontheircalvinggrounds. significant riskofhabitatlossanddisturbanceoccurringwhen their rangesputcaribouherdsunderpressure,withthemost Increased miningexplorationanddevelopment accessing theirfood. irregular icingeventsinthewinterthatpreventcariboufrom increasing thepresenceofbitingfliesinsummer,andcreating Climate change artners inthenort through our inputs into land use plans, by into landuse our inputs through isalteringthehabitatofArcticcaribou, duringtimesoflowabundanceis in the Arctic by inthe across to world. wherever theyarefoundinthe same species ( but caribou andreindeerarethe caribou inScandinaviaandRussia, isthenamegivento “Reindeer” Caribou orReindeer? males andfemales haveantlers. inwhichboth deer familyCervidae Caribou aretheonlymemberof Universal Antlers [email protected] WWF Contact danger. the rest oftheherdtoimpending are usedtoemitanodouralert at thebaseoftheirankles which Caribou havescentglandslocated Smelling Danger Rangifer tarandus Rangifer ), © GaryAndJoanieMcGuffin.com / WWF-Canada