Dear Students:
The latest Caribou data have arrived thanks to Robert Mulders and David Abernathy of the Renewable Resources Dept. of the Northwest Territories. These biologists are now heading out onto the tundra for a spring caribou survey. They also plan to capture 5 more caribou cows and fit them with collars for satellite tracking. A local Inuit elder (Tony) and Inuit woman (Angeline) will come with them to interpret. This way the local people can see how the surveys are conducted. The scientists can also learn from the local people by comparing notes on caribou biology.
Have you noticed the caribou don't seem to be moving much? We asked Robert Mulders about this and here's what he said. "This is typical. They're probably happy where they are right now. Once they do decide to move they can go in a hurry. I do know they're alive because I receive temperature data from their collars. There's a sensor right next to the animal's neck. While it doesn't tell me body temperature, I do know they're warmer than the outside air."
In past years, these scientists have lost cows to wolves. Cold temperature readings were one of the clues--aside from the fact that the collars were no longer moving!
Since the caribou can move "in a hurry", it's time for you to guess where they're going! For this next week's challenge question, take a close look at your map of Canada and see if you can figure out where the caribou's traditional calving grounds might be.
Challenge Question # 69:
"Can you guess the location of the caribou's traditional calving grounds?" (Please give the exact latitude/longitude of the place you predict they will go.)
Please read the instructions below on how to respond to the challenge question.
In our last two updates, we asked why the average nomadic Inuit family required at least 150 caribou each year for survival. We received several excellent responses to this challenge question and we've included them below. Students explained that nomadic Inuit families used the caribou for many aspects of their everyday life.
This was also the case for another native Canadian people whose everyday life was also very closely tied to the caribou--these people were known as the Dene. For centuries, these native peoples used Caribou for almost every aspect of their lives. As nomads, the movements of these tribes followed the seasonal movements of the caribou. They did this because they depended on the caribou for many things in their life. Meat was used for food; antlers, bones and sinew were used for tools and ornaments and weapons; and caribou skins and fur were used for clothes and shelters such as tents.
There is one other reason that the Inuit and Dene people needed so many caribou to survive each year: These tribes also needed caribou for their sled dog teams. That's right-- the Inuit and Dene used sled dogs for transportation and the dogs had to eat too! At that point in history, and at the distant locations where the nomadic Inuits and Denes lived, they obviously couldn't go to the store and buy dog food. So, the dogs relied on caribou too. In fact, one book estimates that 40% to 50% of the caribou killed by these native tribes was used as food for their dog teams.
With today's report you'll find a message from students at an arctic school in Shageluk, Alaska. They provide a personal account of life in the late winter and spring in that area. You're welcome to contact this class to learn more about their part of the world. By the way, if you have a Journey North migration map you can read a legend about migration told by the elders in Shageluk.
New Caribou Data:
Caribou #06978
Mar 07: No Data
Mar 12: 61.367 N, 94.150 W
Mar 17: 61.338 N, 93.933 W
Mar 22: 61.367 N, 93.900 W
Mar 27: 61.350 N, 93.967 W
Caribou #06980
Mar 07: No Data
Mar 12: 59.840 N, 95.417 W
Mar 17: 59.797 N, 95.272 W
Mar 22: 59.817 N, 95.317 W
Mar 27: 59.800 N, 95.300 W
Caribou #23924
Mar 07: No Data
Mar 12: 60.972 N, 106.042 W
Mar 17: 60.900 N, 106.097 W
Mar 22: 60.933 N, 105.900 W
Mar 27: 61.017 N, 105.933 W
Caribou #23925
Mar 07: No Data
Mar 12: 60.310 N, 96.278 W
Mar 17: 60.333 N, 96.267 W
Mar 22: 60.583 N, 95.567 W
Mar 27: 60.583 N, 95.567 W
Caribou #23926
Mar 07: No Data
Mar 12: 60.248 N, 96.260 W
Mar 17: 60.383 N, 95.537 W
Mar 22: 60.400 N, 95.483 W
Mar 27: 60.383 N, 95.467 W
Student Responses to Challenge Question # 27:
"Why do you think the average nomadic Inuit family required at least 150 caribou each year for survival?"
From FLORIDA:
The average Indian family needs 150 caribou each year for clothes,
shelter, and food.
Academic Resource Center
Tallahassee, FL 32303
Sandy Beck beck@wane-leon-mail.scri.fsu.edu
From NEW YORK:
This is Ronny and Alex from Mrs. Berger's class, Roslyn, NY. The average
nomadic Inuit family requires at least 150 caribou each year for survival
for several reasons. First, the average family number among the Inuit is
about 20 people. Family can include other relatives. They use the caribou,
not only for food, but the skins serve to make clothing and household
items. There is very little waste. SO with all these people, they require
lots of caribou to meet these needs.
Internet Educational Consultant
Bellmore, L.I., New York
Joan Berger, East Hills School, Roslyn, NY K12ROBZJ@vaxc.hofstra.edu
From PENNSYLVANIA:
I am Mallory Sohmer from Lock Haven High School in Pennsylvania. Lock Haven
is a small town along the Susquehanna river and we would never see a
caribou around here, so most of my information is coming from encyclopedias
and atlases. I think that the Inuit families use the caribou for clothing,
food, and for their tents. Therefore, you can certainly see why the families
would need over 150 caribou per year.
Nancy Heilman nheilman@oak.kcsd.k12.pa.us
From MINNESOTA:
I think the Inuit family needs food, blankets, tools and clothing which
they get from caribou. It would take 150 caribou to meet these needs.
Alex and Jon
I think the family needs food, clothing, blankets, and shelter which they can get from the caribou.
Tia and Christina
Damascus Elem. 4th gd.
M. Ellen Jay mejay@umd5.umd.edu
From FLORIDA:
Hello from Morgan and Charee, at the Academic Resource Center in
Tallahassee, FL. We think that the hide can be used for clothing ,
blankets, sleeping bags, and shelter. The sinew can be used like thread.
Knives, fish hooks, etc. can be made from the caribou's antlers. It's flesh
can be used for food. In the past these nomadic people depended on the
caribou for all these things that help them survive.
Journey North Kids
journeyn@wane-arc.scri.fsu.edu
From MICHIGAN:
Hello this is Bridget and Jeff answering challenge question #27. The
reason why the nomadic Inuit family needed 150 caribou was because they
traveled a lot and needed the food for energy. They probably used their fur
for warmth, too.
MUSSON ELEMENTARY SCHOOL GVP JR CLASSROOM
Rochester Hills, Mi. 48306 U.S.A.
mes@oeonline.com
How to Respond to Challenge Question #69:
1. Address an e-mail message to: jn-challenge@learner.org
2. In the Subject Line of your message write: Challenge Question #69.
3. In the Body of your message, answer this question:
"Can you guess the location of the caribou's traditional calving grounds?"
(Please give the exact latitude/longitude of the place you predict they will go.)
The Next Caribou Migration Update Will be Posted on April 18, 1996
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