Rangifer tarandus

Reindeer and Caribou

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Classification of Reindeer and Caribou

Kingdom-> Animalia Phylum-> Chordata Class-> Mammalia Order-> Artiodactyla Family-> Cervidae Subfamily-> Capreolinae Genus-> Rangifer Species -> tarandus

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Basic Info

Ruminate 4-5 feet tall Males- 350-400 lbs Females 175-225 lbs Life Span- 12-15 years Walking speed- 4-5 mph Swimming speed- 2mph Both sexes have antlers

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Where are they found?

Caribou

Reindeer

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Summer

Habitat pic Winter

Habitat

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Adaptations to Environment

Body: short and stocky Unique leg circulation Furry muzzle Two types of fur Wide hooved feet
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What do they eat?

Need to take in 12- 20 lbs of food a day

Spring and Summer Diet

Arctic cotton grass Willow leaves Mushrooms Flower buds

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Winter diet
Reindeer Moss

Really a lichen Reindeer have specialized rumen to digest

Rangifer tarandus migration allows for survival

Slow growth = Slow recovery

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Rumen population density

Bacteria in the gut has been found to fluctuate seasonally Fluctuation due to diet change

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Competition?

Musk Ox
Ovibos moschatus
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Alces alces
American Moose
Subspecies: various

English Elk
Subspecies: alces 4/18/12

Wolves

Who eats them?

And all those that clean up after them

Arctic fox

Grizzly Bear

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Parasites
Studies with Svalbard Reindeer Parasites can decrease calf production Winter precipitation affects parasite populations Parasites help control overpopulation of reindeer

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Warning! Danger!

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Older Females lead Spring: Males remain in wintering grounds longer Fall: More of a mixed group for travel Fall: Hierarchy with Pregnant females and those with babies at the top. Males at the bottom

Migration

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Mating season

Males mature at 16-18 months Females mature at 28-29 months Rut occurs in fall Copulation is just mere seconds long Males shed antlers soon after rut

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Giving birth

Cows spread out Very territorial Pregnancy lasts 8 months Claves born in early June Calves are 6-20 lbs at birth

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Childhood

Weight doubles in first two weeks Remain with mother for about 2 years Caribou have strong mother calf bond Rangifer tarandus will not take care of orphans

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Rangifer tarandus A keystone species?

Who would be effected without the Rangifer tarandus

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What is the difference between caribou and reindeer?

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Wild Forest Reindeer: Rangifer tarandus fennicus

Largest reindeer V shaped antlers

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Barren Ground Caribou: Rangifer tarandus granti

Largest herds Widest and longest antlers Longest migration routes 3-5 ft tall Most studied

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Woodland Caribou: Rangifer tarandus caribou

Small scattered populations Usually do not migrate long distances Range form 2 to 6 animals Live in large tracts of old growth conifer forest Logging threatens their habitat Give birth in bogs Long legs to move in deep snow

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Reindeer ( Domestic and Wild) : Rangifer tarandus tarandus

Similar to barren ground caribou The most domesticated of the Rangifer tarandus

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Svalbard Reindeer: Rangifer tarandus platyrhynchus

Small isolated populations Smallest reindeer Use fat and muscle reserves to survive winter

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Peary caribou: Rangifer tarandus pearyi

Live the farthest North Closest genetically to Svalbard Reindeer Silver colored antler velvet Light colored Live in harsh conditions Endangered

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10

Population charts

Herds vary with habitat Populations change year to year Tables from a Barren Ground Caribou herd
1

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Population Trend
10

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1

Threats

Logging Oil drilling Pipe lines Atmospheric pollution Global Warming and climate change

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Biblieography
Aanes, R.2012.Svalbard Reindeer. Retrieved 4/12/2012 from Norwegian Polar Institute http://www.npolar.no/en/species/svalbard-reindeer.html Albon, S.D., Stien, A., Irvine, R.J. et al 2002 The role of Parasites in the dynamics of a reindeer population Proceedings of the Royal Society Biological Sciences 269:1625-1632 Cote, S.D., Dallas, J.F., Marshall, F. et al 2002 Microsatellite DNA evidence for genetic drift and philopatry in Svalbard reindeer. Molecular Ecology 11:1923-1930 Cumming H.G., Beange D.B., Lavoie G. 1996. habitat partitioning between woodland caribou and moose in Ontario: the potential role of shared predation risk. Rangifer Special issue No. 9:81-94 Festa-Bianchet, M., Ray, J.C, Boutin, S., Cote, S.D., and Gunn, A. 2011 Conservation of caribou (Rangifer tarandus) in Canada: an uncertain future Canada Journal of Zoology 89:419-434 Groves, C. and Grubb, P. 2011 Ungulate Taxonomy Johns Hopkins, University Press 336pp Heuer, Karsten 2005 Being Caribou: Seven Months on Foot with an Arctic Herd Mountaineers Books 237pp Huffman, Brent. 2006.An Ultimate Ungulate Fact Sheet: Rangifer tarandus. Retrieved 4/10/2012 from Ultimate Ungulate http://www.ultimateungulate.com/Artiodactyla/Rangifer_tarandus.html Joly, K and Shefferly, N.2000. Animal Diversity Web: Rangifer tarandus. Retrieved 4/10/2012 from University of Michigan Museum of Zoology. http:// animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/site/accounts/information/Rangifer_tarandus.html Orpin, C.G., Mathiesen, S.D., Greenwood Y, Blix, A.S., 1985 Seasonal changes in the ruminal microflora of the high-arctic Svalbard reindeer( Rangifer tarnadus platyrhynchus).Applied Environmental Microbiology No.50 Vol.1:144-151 Russel, H.J. 1998 The World of Caribou Sierra Club Books, San Francisco, California 114pp Thomas, D. and Barry, S. 1990 A life table for female barren-ground caribou in north- central Canada. Rangifer Special Issue No. 3: 177-184 Rothfels M and Russell D. 2005.Caribou. Retrieved 4/12/2012 from Hinterland Whos who http://www.hww.ca/en/species/mammals/caribou.html Seip, Dale.1991 Predation and Caribou populations Rangifer Special Issue No 7:46-52 Tews J, Ferguson M, Fahrig L.2007.Modeling density dependence and climatic disturbances in caribou's case study from the Bathurst Island complex, Canadian High Arctic. Journal of Zoology 272(2):209-217 Vogel, Julia 2002 Our Wild World Series: Caribou North Word Press, Chanhassen, Minnesota 48pp 4/18/12 Walker, T. 2000 Caribou Wanderer of the Tundra Graphic Arts Center Publishing, Portland Oregon. 80pp Williams, T. and Heard, D. 1986 World status of wild Rangifer tarandus populations. Rangifer Special issue No. 1:19-28