Woodland Caribou

 

 

Name

  • Common name: Woodland Caribou
  • Scientific name: Rangifer tarandus caribou
  • Order: Artiodactyla
  • Family: Cervidae
  • Indigenous names for this species include vadzaih (Gwich’in), wëdzey (Hän), gudzįh or kudzįh (Kaska), udzi or hudzì (Northern Tutchone), mäzi (Southern Tutchone), medzih or wedzih (Tagish), watsíx (Tlingit) and wudzih (Upper Tanana). Names from other dialects may be available through the Yukon Native Language Centre. 

Also known as

In the Yukon, woodland caribou fall into two categories, called “designatable units” by the Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada (COSEWIC): Northern Mountain and Boreal. Separating woodland caribou into these units helps to ensure conservation efforts are specific to the needs of each population. 

Learn more about designatable units for caribou. 

Viewing opportunities

  • Woodland caribou are most often viewed along Yukon highways during the winter when animals are at lower elevations.
  • Caribou from the Finlayson herd may be viewed along the Robert Campbell Highway, while caribou from the Little Rancheria and Carcross herds may be seen along sections of the Alaska Highway near Watson Lake and Whitehorse, respectively.
  • During the summer caribou are at higher elevations. You may spot them while hiking or biking in subalpine and alpine areas. 
  • Remember to always give caribou space and view caribou from a distance.

Description

  • Unlike any other member of the deer family, both male and female caribou have antlers! Male antlers have one long curved branch with tines clustered at the top and a “shovel” branching over the forehead. Females and young males also have antlers that are much smaller and not as elaborate.
  • Dirty brown fur fading to tan to nearly off-white around the neck and white tail.
  • Face darker than rest of the body with a white muzzle.
  • White “socks” above the hooves.
  • Slightly larger body size than barren-ground or migratory caribou.

Fast facts

  • Height: 120 centimetres
  • Weight: 180 kilograms (males); 135 kilograms (females)
  • Lifespan: 13 to 15 years
  • Predators: Wolves, Grizzly Bears, Wolverine, Golden Eagles
  • Habitat: Boreal Forest, Mountain Alpine

Conservation status

What is conservation status?

Yukon population estimate

Around 42,000 caribou are estimated to occur seasonally within the Yukon (as of 2024). 

Behaviour

  • Boreal caribou:
    • Boreal caribou exist at very low densities in the Yukon and are a small portion of a larger population that resides mainly in the Northwest Territories. These animals are primarily located in the flat, forested areas east of Peel River. Most Boreal caribou remain in these forested, wetland areas for most of the year, with some individuals making seasonal movements into the mountains during spring, calving and summer. It is estimated that less than 300 Boreal caribou are present in the Yukon.
  • Northern Mountain caribou:
    • Northern Mountain caribou migrate seasonally moving from the open boreal forest in winter, up into the subalpine and alpine in summer. Although some herds also spend much of the winter on windswept alpine slopes. They're the only animals that forage substantially on lichen in the winter. Their hooves are perfectly designed to dig through the snow to access the lichens below. They're also efficient swimmers. Herds vary in size from about 200 to more than 5,000 caribou.

Diet

Lichen, grasses, sedges, willows, forbs and mushrooms. 

Distribution

 

See a map of the ranges of all 29 caribou herds in the Yukon.

Sights and sounds

 

 

 

Woodland Caribou track, front: 10.2 x 13 cm.
Track in the mud.

 

 

Woodland caribou fecal pellets during summer.

 

Caribou and people

  • Caribou hold deep cultural and spiritual significance for Yukon First Nations, featuring prominently in traditions, ceremonies and storytelling.
  • Along with moose and sheep, caribou are one of the most harvested wildlife species in the Yukon, providing a healthy source of meat, fat, hides and more to Yukoners.
  • Caribou are susceptible to human disturbance. Management of human activity, including harvest, disturbance and land use are the primary tools available for recovering or maintaining caribou and caribou habitat.
  • In some parts of the Yukon, caribou are regularly killed in vehicle collisions during the winter season. 

Resources

General

Herd specific

Aishihik and Kluane Northern Mountain caribou herds:

Bonnett Plume Caribou Herd:

Chisana Caribou Herd:

Clear Creek Caribou Herd:

Coal River Caribou Herd:

Finlayson Caribou Herd:

Klaza Caribou Herd:

Little Rancheria Caribou Herd:

Moose Lake Caribou Herd:

Southern Lakes Caribou Herds:

South Nahanni and Coal River caribou herds:

Tay River Caribou Herd:

Wolf Lake Caribou Herd:

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