Species: Rangifer tarandus caribou

Woodland Caribou

Species

Mammals

Encyclopedia of Puget Sound

Classification

Kingdom

Animalia

Phylum

Craniata

Class

Mammalia

Order

Artiodactyla

Family

Cervidae

Genus

Rangifer

NatureServe

Source:
ELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.105025

Classification

Other Global Common Names

caribou des bois

Informal Taxonomy

Animals, Vertebrates - Mammals - Other Mammals

Formal Taxonomy

Animalia - Craniata - Mammalia - Artiodactyla - Cervidae - Rangifer - Cronin (1992) found that woodland and barren ground caribou subspecies are not discernable as distinct mtDNA assemblages.

Ecology and Life History

Short General Description

A hoofed mammal (caribou).

Migration

false - true - false - Makes seasonal elevational migrations; early winter habitat lower in elevation than late winter habitat (Rominger and Oldemeyer 1989).

Non-migrant

false

Locally Migrant

true

Food Comments

In many areas, relies heavily on lichens. In southern Selkirk Mountains of British Columbia, shifted from diet of primarily vascular taxa during snow-free months to an arboreal lichen-conifer diet during late winter; in winters with slower snow accumulation, foraged extensively on myrtle boxwood (PACHISTIMA) and other vascular plants (Rominger and Oldemeyer 1990). Late fall and early winter diet consists of low evergreen shrubs, mushrooms, grasses, and sedges (Matthews and Moseley 1990).

Reproduction Comments

Mating occurs primarily in last half of October. Male defends group of several females. Calving occurs in late May or early June, though the timing of the rut and calving varies somewhat among different herds. Females begin breeding at 2-3 years. Most adult females bear a calf each year. End of metabolic weaning occurs at about 6 weeks, though nursing may continue for at least 160 days (Can. J. Zool. 70:1753).

Ecology Comments

Tends to congregate in family groups of 3-10; adult males solitary except in breeding season (Matthews and Moseley 1990). Annual calf mortality, due to predation, severe weather, or malnutrition, 40-70% (Matthews and Moseley 1990).

Conservation Status

NatureServe Global Status Rank

G5T4

Global Status Last Reviewed

1996-11-19

Global Status Last Changed

1996-11-19

Distribution

Conservation Status Map

Global Range

FG - 20,000-2,500,000 square km (about 8000-1,000,000 square miles) - FG - Historic range: southeastern Alaska and much of Canada, and south into northern U.S. from New England to Washington. Deforestation eliminated caribou from New England and adjacent Canada, the Great Lakes states, and North Dakota by the early 1900s. Still widespread across much of boreal forest in Canada (Kelsall, 1984 COSEWIC report). A remnant U.S. population survived in the Cabinet and Yaak Mountains of Idaho and Montana until the 1950s. A once-extensive population in the Selkirk Mountains of eastern Washington, northern Idaho, and southeastern British Columbia) still survives in small numbers. Reintroductions have been attempted in Maine.

Global Range Code

Global Range Description

20,000-2,500,000 square km (about 8000-1,000,000 square miles)

ELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.105025