The Caribou

by Michael

Description

Size

The Caribou's weight is 500 pounds or 225 kilograms. The Caribou's height is 6 to 8 feet tall or 1.8 to 2.4 metres.

Color

Their color is dark chocolate brown and they have white spots on their legs, stomach, neck and tail and light floor.

Body Covering

They have a special double thick fur coat. The caribou also has long outer guard hairs which are hollow. They shed in early summer. They have thick crinckly underfur. The caribous whole body is covered in fur.

Distinguishing Features

The caribou have antlers on both male and female. They have small ears. The large hoofs are spread out when it walks. Hoofs are suited to walking in deep snow. The caribou sheds its antlers every year and grow new ones. They have thick antlers. The long antlers curve back from the forehead and up. They have brow tines, or antler prongs that curve back out in front and the shovel is the part that curves over the nose.

Family Life and Reproduction

The Caribou's first few hours of life are the most dangerous times. If the caribou cannot keep up with the herd it will get eaten by a wolf. One or two sometimes three babies are born.

Interesting Facts

There are two kinds of caribou, the Barren Ground Caribou and the Woodland Caribou. The Barren Ground Caribou are smaller than the Woodland Caribou. The caribou eat as they walk. The caribou eat 10 pounds of food a day. The caribou is a French Canadian name. They have broad hoofs. They get their first antlers at 5 months old.

Where In The World

They live in northern regions of North America and also these places: Norway, Sweden, and Finland.

Home and Habitat

The caribou's home and habitat is Artic tundra, and coniferous forest. Some are wanderers and do not stay in one place. They move around a lot. In winter they look for forests for protection from cold and snow.

Food and Eating Habits

The caribou eat green buds of shrubs. They also eat leaves, plants, mushrooms, and lichens. Lichens are caribou's diet.

Adaptations

The caribou have split hoofs so they can walk on snow and ice. Pads on centre of their hoofs help them to walk on ice, and snow. They walk alot in the summer in the winter they don't walk a lot because their looking for food and shelter.

Bibliography

"Caribou." World Book Encyclopedia. Chicago: World Book, Inc. 1993. Volume 3.

Ross, Judy. Nature's Children Caribou. Toronto: Grolier, 1986.