Caribou

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A caribou may lose up to half a pint of blood a day from mosquitoes; therefore, during summer they seek temporary relief by submerging themselves in water.

The Georges River Caribou herd numbers about 750,000 animals. They belong to the barren ground type of caribou, which are slightly smaller then woodland caribou, and a stag on the hoof weighs from 200 to 225 pounds (90 to 100 K). This herd covers a range of about 270,000 square miles (700,000 square kilometers) and during the year each animal may travel up to 2,485 miles (4,000 kilometers). There has recently been a decline in the total number of the herd (approximately 25,000 animals). Current population levels are considered to be the maximum number of animals which can be supported by the current grazing grounds. The spring migration to the calving grounds is lead by pregnant females. Later in the season these smaller groups gather together to form herds up to 100,000 animals. About 5% of the animals are harvested annually by aboriginal and non-aboriginal hunters. It is interesting to note, the Labrador caribou outnumber the Labrador people about 25 to 1. Caribou is the only member of the deer family to have both male and female grow antlers.