Woodland Caribou Migration Facts

Location/Distance

• The caribou are dispersed throughout Canada.

• They prefer cold watery habitats.

• Individual caribou have different migratory routes and destinations.

• They each migrate back to their calving site in the spring.

• They migrate in the winter to protect neonates from predation
  
  

Mating

• Bulls are polygamous and do not raise the young.

• Bulls can mate up to 10 females at a time.

• These caribou are sexually mature after age 3.

• The female cares for the young and that alters her migratory route.

• The female gives birth in the summertime.
  
  

Feeding

• The caribou feed on plants.

• They prefer nitrogen rich forage.
  
  

Migration Cues

• Migratory cues are unknown.

• Presumably they are vestigial during polar day and polar nights.

• Rhythmic activity quickly comes back when dark/light cycles are back.
  
  

Navigational Mechanisms

• They stop for resting and foraging during migration.

• They forage in forest habitats.

• They travel on watery habitats.

• They travel a nonlinear (not set/specific) route with stops.