Caribou and Reindeer Numbers Plummet by 60% Worldwide

Results recently published in the journal Global Change Biology show a population drop of 60% in worldwide caribou and reindeer numbers over the last three decades.

The dramatic decline in population is likely due to climate change and increased industrial development in boreal forests around the world.

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The study was the first ever comprehensive census analysis conducted for this species, and the results were far worse than expected. The Arctic was once thought to be a last bastion for large migrating animals like the caribou, since it is freer from development and habitat encroachment than other regions. But the effects of global warming are felt far worse in the Arctic than anywhere else, where temperatures can potentially increase five or tenfold relative to the rest of the globe.

Furthermore, as the Arctic warms, development in the region is expected to continually increase, as nations scurry to secure oil reserves and timber from boreal forests. The study found that the leading cause for the decline in caribou numbers in boreal forests was from industrial development.

Global warming also impacts the herds by altering the seasonal cycles which determine their ability to find food. Spring green ups in the Arctic are now happening earlier, before the herds arrive, which deprives mothers and calves of quality nutrients. Warmer and prolonged summers also mean more intense insect activity, which irritates the herds and disrupts regular feeding. Furthermore, global warming brings less snow and more freezing rain during the winter, which can make lichens that the animals feed on in the colder months more difficult to access.

Researchers said the dramatic decline raises serious concerns not only for the animals, but also for people living in northern latitudes who depend on the animals for their livelihood. Moreover, the caribou and reindeer migrations are so essential to the ecology of the Arctic that their decline could have far-reaching environmental impacts that are still unforeseen.

If you’d like to assist in the conservation of the North’s boreal forests, support environmental and conservation groups working in the region. One group working to protect Canada’s vast forests is Canopy, and you can donate to their efforts here.

Source: ScienceDaily

Image Credit: peupleloup on Flickr under a Creative Commons License

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