Herd populations of the caribou (Rangifer tarandus) are cyclical, but three are consistently large: the Western Arctic herd, northwest Alaska (225,000); the Taimyr Peninsula herd, Siberia (500,000); and the George River herd, northern Quebec (750,000). Total world population is about 3 million domesticated, 2 million wild.
Slightly larger than deer, caribou keep moving—up to 3,000 miles per year—in search of adequate food. Herds tend to calve in the same area every year, but they will suddenly switch to different migration routes that have more abundant food. These changes affect the indigenous people who depend on caribou for food, clothing, and shelter. Since caribou is an important economic resource in many countries—for meat, milk, and clothing; for sport hunters; and as a tourist attraction—the long-term effect of global warming on caribou is a focus of worldwide research.
