The Caribou is a beautiful large species of bovine, known scientifically as California berry, which is native to the tundra region of North America. The name “Caribou” is derived from the black, white, or brown fur that characterizes this animal. The average weight of Caribou is around two hundred pounds and length is between seven and nine feet. This animal has an average lifespan of approximately fifteen years. This information is provided for information only.
DescriptionThe reindeer, which is also called caribou in North America, is an arboreal species of deer with slow migration, sub-arctic to arctic distribution, migratory, and semi-annual in nature, with seasonal activity. This includes both migratory and sedentary populations. Average life expectancy of Caribou is around four years. Average number of offspring per year is low.
Diet Caribou feeds on a variety of vegetation in the Alaskan tundra: alfalfa, canes, grasses, weeds, berries, leaf litter, insects, and carrion. They have excellent senses of taste and smell but are poor detectors of danger from predators. They have large appetites and spend most of their waking time hunting during daylight. Their small, powerful bodies allow them to be swift and efficient hunters.
Social Life Caribou is very social creatures and are known to gather together in flocks for mating and birthing. They raise their young during the winter months. The young stay with the mother until they are weaned by about twelve months of age.
Other Caribou animals include elk, caribou dog, bear, fisher, fur bear, wild yak, gray squirrel, snow squirrels, foxes, coyotes, owls, caribou dogs, porcupines, raccoons, skunks, bobcats, fisher dogs, wapiti, etc. There are also some habitats that are occupied by the Caribou other than herds in which they inhabit. These include in coastal areas, gorges, sand dunes, arctic and sub-tropical forests, islands, bays, etc. There is also a chance for interaction between members of different species if they roam in packs. In fact, there are reports of interactions between coyotes, bears, eagles, wolves, etc.
Caribou usually eat a combination of vegetation, leaves, shoots, seeds, roots, nuts, fruits and seeds. They also eat fish and other animals. They live from one to five years depending upon the diet. Sexual maturity is reached at nearly twenty years.
Caribou are very elusive and they usually travel in pairs or in large groups. For them to hunt successfully, it is important that the hunting grounds should be well-known to them so that they can find their tracks, faeces and other clues to identify their hunting grounds. Hunting calls used by the hunters must also be specific and unique. The caller is the device through which the hunter delivers the catch to the caribou. This is a small cylinder with a metal tube that is inserted in the ear of the animal.
Hunting can take place on foot, on bicycles, in motorized vehicles, on foot in areas that are rich in caribou tracks, in cars, on horses, on motorcycles, etc. The hunter has to bring along with him all the required equipment for hunting, except for the caribou itself. The equipment may consist of a backpack with storage space for equipment, sleeping bags, waterproof clothing, binoculars, radio, hand-held devices for contacting other hunters, a tent or a trailer for shelter, flashlights, food and water containers for the trip, a knife, an axe or spear, a saw, two batteries of batteries and a compass.