Caribou herbiboro tundra animales. Reindeer the eurasian name for caribou is found in the tundra ecoregion of northern europe and siberia. Every year in north america vast herds consisting of 50000 to 500000 animals travel hundreds of miles between spring calving grounds on the tundra to wintering grounds in boreal forests. These animals are utilized by the people of the tundra regions for their milk meat hide and are also used for transportation. In north america they are called caribou when wild and reindeer when domesticated.
Reindeer live in areas of arctic tundra a cold treeless plain frequently poorly drained and the northern boreal forests that make up the southern edge of the tundra. Caribou are migratory animals and are known for mass migrations across the tundra in search of food. Polar bears arctic wolves wolverines snowy owls and arctic foxes are some carnivores that roam the icy wild wastes of the tundra. Large relatives of the deer caribous are iconic of alaska and canadas far north and are the same species as the reindeer of scandinavia greenland and russia.
Armadillos caribou chipmunks cows deer elephants giraffes horses kangaroos koalas llamas mice moose. Feeding on prey species like caribou lemmings birds and. These include polar bears wolverines snowy owls and arctic foxes. Other species including bighorn sheep and caribou remain in the tundra year round.
There are many herbivorous mammal species that inhabit the tundra including caribou arctic hares squirrels elk sheep and lemmings. The largest herbivore in the tundra is the musk ox. The caribou which is what europeans call reindeer rangifer tarandus is highly adapted to life on the arctic tundra. Caribou are well adapted to living in the tundra with thick fur and skin that enable them to enter frigid rivers while migrating.
Besides the behavioral adaptation of migrating to escape the worst of the winter cold they have changed physically inside and out to live in this demanding biome. It can grow to be between 6 and 75 feet long and weigh from 400 to 900 pounds. Some species such as elk spend summers in the tundra but migrate to warmer climates in the winter. Caribou or reindeer occur both in the wild or as semi domesticated herds.
These animals are all adapted to cold weather and limited forage to facilitate survival in such harsh conditions. In europe these animals are called reindeer only. Some examples of animal herbivores are.