Caribou and reindeer are an inherent and co-evolved part of the Circumpolar North. However, the Arctic Report Card 2018 stated that app. 2.6 million reindeers got lost just during the last 20 years. The status of caribou herds further south is equally worrisome, with the lower 48 states of the U.S. having virtually no wild caribou left, and reindeer herds in Mongolia also struggeling, just like many Canadian caribou do.

Looking at many herds and publications, here I elaborate on those changes, cycles and generic trends the these animals face in times of the anthropocene, global change and widely unabated increases of man-made CO2.

Citations and further references:

Collard R.C., J. Dempsey and M Holmberg (2019) Extirpation despite regulation? Environmental assessment and caribou. Conservation Science and Practice DOI: 10.1111/csp2.166

Gailus J. (2010) Grizzly Manifesto, The: In Defense of the Great Bear (RMB Manifesto). Rocky Mountain Books. Banff, Canada.

Hegel, T., A. Mysterud, T. Ergon, L. Loe, F. Huettmann and N. Stenseth (2009) Seasonal Effects of Pacific-based climate on recruitment in a predator-limited large herbivore. Journal of Animal Ecology 79: 471-482.

Mager, K.H., K. E. Colson and K. J. Hundertmark (2013) High genetic connectivity and introgression from domestic reindeer characterize northern Alaska caribou herds. Conserv Genetics 14:1111–1123 DOI 10.1007/s10592-013-0499-2

Resnick B. (2018)The Arctic has lost 2.6 million reindeer over the past 20 years. The Arctic is changing — fast. That’s bad news for reindeer and caribou.https://www.vox.com/science-and-health/2018/12/11/18134411/christmas-reindeer-north-pole-populations-decline-agu-arctic-report-card

Sullivan (2018) Arctic Report Card: Reindeer and caribou populations continue to decline. https://www.climate.gov/news-features/featured-images/2018-arctic-report-card-reindeer-and-caribou-populations-continue

Yannic, G., L. Pellissier, J. Ortego et al. (2014) Genetic diversity in caribou linked to past and future climate change. Nature Clim Change 4, 132–137. https://doi.org/10.1038/nclimate2074

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