Woodland Caribou

The Woodland Caribou, also known as the Mountain Caribou. They are the only member of the family Cervidae in which both the male and female of the species produce antlers, which they periodically shed and re-grow. Their hooves balloon to the size of dinner plates during the winter to help the caribou walk on snow. The name “caribou” is of Aboriginal descent and means “shoveler” or “pawer”. It aptly describes the caribou’s habit of digging through snow to reach their main winter food source, lichen, a plant that grows on rocks and tree bark. Woodland Caribou thicker, broader antlers than do other Caribou. Their deep brown fur becomes nearly white in the winter. The Woodland Caribou is almost completely extinct in US. In the US they are found only in the Selkirk Mountains, which span Idaho and northern Washington. But only about 45 animals are left in this population! Humans today have more opportunity and ability to enter the species’ traditional habitat and affect its chances for survival. For example, when people snowmobile, heli-ski, cat ski or even build yurts, they compact the snow and make noise, creating three problems for these animals. The caribou find it difficult dig through compacted snow for lichen as easily through compacted snow. With part of their food supply cut off, they must depend solely on the lichen that grows on trees. Compacted snow also makes it easier for predators such as wolves to reach the caribou, removing the need to trudge though deep snow. Human activities also frighten caribou, causing them to alter their migration patterns and key behaviors associated with feeding, breeding, and seeking shelter. The Selkirk population of woodland caribou is listed as endangered under the Endangered Species Act (ESA) as they are in danger of becoming extinct throughout the Selkirk range.