Porcupine caribou don’t just belong to Alaska, the herd spends considerable time in Canada too. During the winter the herd forages along wind swept ridges from the Brooks Range, Alaska to the Richardson Mountains, Canada. Every spring, cows migrate hundreds of miles to the Arctic Coastal Plain for calving.
Is the Porcupine the only caribou in North America?
The Porcupine is the only barren-ground caribou herd across the north that is not in steep decline.
How many caribou are there in the world?
Migratory caribou herds are named after their birthing grounds, in this case the Porcupine River, which runs through a large part of the range of the Porcupine herd. Though numbers fluctuate, the herd comprises about 218,000 animals (based on a July 2017 photocensus).
What is a Migratory caribou called?
It resembles the subspecies known as the barren-ground caribou and is sometimes included in it. Migratory caribou herds are named after their calving grounds, in this case the Porcupine River, which runs through a large part of the range of the Porcupine herd.
What is happening to the Porcupine caribou herd?
Since 1989, the herd has declined at 3.5% per year to a low of 123 000 animals in 2001. The Porcupine Caribou Herd appears to be more sensitive to the effects of climate change than other large herds. The ecosystem defined by the range of the Porcupine Herd includes human communities, most of which depend on harvesting caribou for subsistence.
Where are Porcupine caribou?
The Porcupine Caribou Herd ranges across the northern Yukon, northeastern Alaska and the northwestern fringe of the Northwest Territories. For thousands of years, the herd has been a source of food, clothing, tools and shelter for the Gwitchin and Inuvialuit peoples who inhabit this region.
How many caribou are in the Porcupine herd?
Deep trails left by thousands of migrating Porcupine caribou in the Kekiktuk river drainage near Shrader Lake. How big is the herd? At about 197,000 caribou, the Porcupine herd currently has the largest population recorded since monitoring began in 1977.
How many Porcupine caribou are in ANWR?
218,000 animalsMigratory caribou herds are named after their calving grounds, in this case the Porcupine River, which runs through a large part of the range of the Porcupine herd. Though numbers fluctuate, the herd comprises about 218,000 animals (based on a July 2017 photocensus).
How far does the Porcupine caribou herd travel in their migration?
2400 kilometersEvery year, the Porcupine caribou herd embarks on the longest land mammal migration in the world, covering over 2400 kilometers from the Northwest Territories, Yukon and into Alaska. This incredible journey takes them through what is still a significantly intact landscape of the Arctic.
Where are the caribou herds in Alaska?
Four herds of caribou are found in the Central Alaska parks: Denali, Mentasta, Chisana, and Fortymile.
Where can I see caribou in Newfoundland?
Newfoundland Caribou. The Coastal Safari camp is an ideal place to view woodland caribou because it is located next to the largest wilderness reserve on the island of Newfoundland, the Bay Du Nord Reserve (2895 sq km).
Where are the caribou migration routes located?
Its migration territory covers over 150,000 miles of Alaska, an area larger than the whole state of California. Perhaps the best known of the migrating caribou herds is that of the Porcupine Caribou in Alaska, located primarily within the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge and named for the river they migrate along.
How many caribou herds are in Alaska?
31 caribouThe map labeled Alaska Caribou Herds shows the four northernmost herds (Teshekpuk, Western Arctic, Central Arctic and Porcupine) of the 31 caribou total herds in Alaska.
Which two national parks protect the calving and migration grounds of the Porcupine caribou?
In Canada, two major national parks (Ivvavik and Vuntut) and other conservation areas have been established to protect key habitats. In Alaska, the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge has been an important conservation area to protect the calving grounds of the herd.
How far north do the caribou travel?
Caribou display the longest terrestrial migrations anywhere on the planet. In northwest Alaska, caribou travel up to 2,737 miles (4,404 km) per year (Joly and Cameron 2017).
What is the main food of the Porcupine caribou?
Food Habits Large herds often migrate long distances (up to 400 miles/640 km) between summer and winter ranges. Smaller herds may not migrate at all. In summer (May-September), caribou eat the leaves of willows, sedges, flowering tundra plants, and mushrooms.
Do porcupines migrate or hibernate?
Habits & Habitat The porcupine tends to stay in the same home range and reuses the same den year after year. It is solitary by nature but may den with other porcupines in the winter. The porcupine does not hibernate, but will stay in dens during bad weather.
What type of caribou are in the Yukon?
Behaviour. Barren-ground Caribou are herd animals and can be found in the Yukon in the massive Porcupine Herd (169,000) or the smaller Forty Mile Herd (51,000). The open tundra and sparse trees allow the herds to see predators from a great distance.
How many subspecies of caribou are there?
Four subspecies of caribou occur in Canada: woodland (Rangifer tarandus caribou), Peary (Rangifer tarandus pearyi), barren-ground west of the Mackenzie River (Rangifer tarandus granti), also known as Grant's caribou, and barren-ground east of the Mackenzie River (Rangifer tarandus groenlandicus).
When did the woodland caribou become endangered?
ESA Status: Endangered The southern Selkirk subpopulation of woodland caribou were first listed as endangered in 1984.
What is the main food of the Porcupine caribou?
Food Habits Large herds often migrate long distances (up to 400 miles/640 km) between summer and winter ranges. Smaller herds may not migrate at all. In summer (May-September), caribou eat the leaves of willows, sedges, flowering tundra plants, and mushrooms.
The waiting game
Each year, the Porcupine caribou herd embarks on one of the longest migrations on earth. From the northern reaches of the Yukon and Northwest Territories, they make their way to the relative safety of Alaska’s coastal plain where, by late May, they calve and nurse the next generation.
Thin ice in caribou country
When our bush plane finally dropped us off at the Collins airstrip in the heart of the Brooks range mountains and then flew away, leaving us alone with our 70-pound backpacks and a startling silence, an adrenaline rush packed with both excitement and apprehension kicked in.
Lost in the fog
We had spent about two hours in the presence of the caribou and began to calculate how many hours of sleep we’d get after our long journey back.
The disturbance
For more than a decade Jeffrey Peter worked in Vuntut National park, tucked into northwest corner of the Yukon and separated from the wildlife refuge by no more than an imaginary international border.
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