Arctic Caribou Traditional Cache

This cache is in the Assiniboine Park Zoo. There is an entrance fee. Placing trackables is not recommended in this high muggle area. Summer hours: Open daily from 9:00 a.m. and gates close at 4:30 p.m. Winter hours: Open daily from 9:00 a.m. and gates close at 3:30 p.m. Please treat our animals and plants with respect. Do not approach or feed animals, pick or damage plants, knock on glass, or throw coins in ponds. Please stay on pathways, and respect safety fences.

Arctic Caribou!

Today, we will be telling you about Arctic caribou! Some people may call caribou a reindeer. Just think Rudolph the red-nosed reindeer could be called Rudolph the red-nosed Caribou!  When migrating, caribou may travel more than 1600 miles (2,574 kilometers) each year.  An adult caribou may eat more than 12 pounds of vegetation including lichen and willow leaves. Their hooves are very useful for tools in the harsh northland. The average life span of the caribou in the wild is 4.5 years. In the winter, caribou use their hooves to dig for food in the snow. Worldwide, there are approximately 5 million caribou. Caribou eyes can change colour when the arctic seasons change.  Caribou are herbivores. Caribou weigh from 240-700 lbs. Woodland Caribou are listed as endangered under Canada’s Species at Risk Act. Sad, right? The male's antlers can grow up to five feet long! WOW! The antlers fall off in the late fall. 

Sources:

Switch zoo.com, Kids National Geographic, National Geographic and Soft schools.com

http://www.tundraanimals.net/guide/caribou.html

http://animals.nationalgeographic.com/animals/mammals/caribou/

By: Bronte, Brooklyn, Mike & Ava of Beaverlodge School