Caribou

News: A recent study highlights that declining lichen and increasing snow depth can significantly reduce winter survival of caribou populations in the Arctic.

About Caribou

• Caribou are large herbivorous ungulates adapted to Arctic and sub-Arctic environments.
• They are also called ‘Reindeer’ in Eurasia.
• Scientific Name: Rangifer tarandus
• Habitat: Caribou thrive in polar and Arctic regions.
• Distribution: Caribou are found across Arctic tundra and boreal forests of North America (Canada, Alaska, Greenland) and Eurasia (Scandinavia, Russia).
• Key features
  • Adaptation to cold: Caribou have thick fur and specially adapted noses that warm cold air before it reaches their lungs.
  • Feeding behavior: They are among the few animals that can digest lichen, which becomes their main winter food.
  • Movement pattern: They are highly migratory, covering long distances each year.
  • Physical traits: Both males and females grow antlers, though males have much larger antlers.
  • Unique vision: Caribou are the only mammals capable of seeing ultraviolet light, helping them detect predators.
• Ecological Significance: Caribou hold ecological importance as their survival is closely linked to lichen availability and snow conditions, which highlights that changes in Arctic vegetation and climate directly affect species survival and ecosystem stability.
• Threats
  • Human-caused habitat destruction
  • Fragmentation
  • Climate change
• Conservation Status
  • IUCN: Vulnerable