Caribou Caribou
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Caribou Migration Update: February 12, 2003

Today's Report Includes:

Welcome to the Adventure!
2003 marks the second year we will follow the incredible Porcupine caribou migration. Using satellite telemetry we will follow the caribou herd from their wintering grounds in the Brooks Mountain Range to the calving grounds on the Arctic coastal plain.

The Porcupine caribou herd is the 8th largest migratory caribou herd in North America and its range is as geographically diverse as it is large. Scientists use the information they gather from the caribou locations to learn more about the animals and their habitat. We can use the information to learn about the animals, too. Join us and learn about the Porcupine caribou and their spring migration to the Arctic Coastal Plain!

First Winter Range Map and Satellite Data

Caribou Migration Map
Click on Map to Enlarge

With a winter range of about a hundred thousand square miles, satellite collars give us a special chance to “see” where the caribou are throughout the year.
Remember, the entire herd is estimated to be about 123,000 animals! Each of the satellite-collared cows is mingling with thousands of other caribou. Use your imaginations to picture each of the colored dots as one animal within a huge grouping of other caribous in the same ridge, valley or plain on the Arctic map.
Use today's data to create your own map or study ours. Every update we will provide new data for you to track, and keep track of the caribou as they move toward their summer calving grounds.
Study the map and gather your resources to answer the first Challenge Questions of the season.

Challenge Question #1:
“Which caribou has migrated the farthest south?”

Challenge Question #2:
“What country/countries do you find the satellite-collared caribou wintering this year?”

(To respond to these questions, please follow the instructions below.)

Video Clip: Animated Movements of the Porcupine Caribou
Want to see a sneak preview of the caribou migration? This animation, created with 10 years of satellite tracking data shows us a composite of the migrations of the Porcupine caribou. When you watch it we hope you will see things that make you think about this incredible animal and its habits.


Porcupine Caribou Migration Animation
Video Clip

Tips

Viewing Guide
As you watch the animation, you will notice that each day of the year is represented by one picture showing where the caribou are located. What else do you notice?

  1. What is going on when the music starts, pauses, and when it starts again?
  2. Why do you think all the caribou are going to the same place along the coast in June?
  3. In which month do you see the biggest migration movements with the herd?
  4. What month do the caribou arrive in the most southern part of their migration range?

Gather all this information together and answer this BIG question-

Challenge Question #3:
“Critical habitat is defined as a specific geographic area(s) that is essential for the conservation of a threatened or endangered species and that may require special management and protection. After watching this animation, which habitat(s) is critical for the Porcupine caribou and why?”

(To respond to this question, please follow the instructions below.)

Land of the Caribou
click to enlarge
When we think of caribou and reindeer we tend to think of snowy winter weather. We call our Porcupine caribou “Arctic dwellers” because they live in a region north of 66.3 degrees. For a quick review of what 66.3 degrees North looks like on our globe, study this map:

Isabella, Catherine and Blixen are wintering right near Old Crow, Yukon this week. Here are some facts about the weather there today:

  • Sunrise in Old Crow, Yukon on February 11, 2003 was at 09:52, and sunset was at 17:15 (in military time). How many hours of daylight is this?
  • High temperature was -14 C., low was -20 C.

    Challenge Question #4:
    “The high and low temperatures in Old Crow are given in degrees Celsius. What are these temperatures in degrees Fahrenheit? How does their weather compare to your high and low temperatures?”

(To respond to this question, please follow the instructions below.)

Can you calculate temperatures in both Celsius and Fahrenheit? Try doing the math in your head or with fractions using these handy formulas:

Any day of the week you can find out about the weather in Old Crow, Yukon.

Meet the Caribou

Isabella on capture day
Courtesy Satellite Collar Project

Collared caribou are all cows. We like to call them “the Gals.” They have really fun names; Blixen, Cupid, Donner, Isabella, Lucky, Lupine, Lynetta and Catherine. This year many of the collars need to be replaced. We will meet some new caribou, and YOU may even get a chance to name some of them!
One important reason cows are collared is to document their calving rates. Collared caribou can be located to help with the census (the population count). During the census, cows first form large groups near the north coast to calve, while the bulls tend to be in the foothills. All the Porcupine caribou will migrate to the coastal plain in June to find plentiful food and escape the worst of the insect pests and predators.

How do You Say Porcupine Caribou in Science-speak?
Or...All Kingdoms Aren't Just for Kings
Rangifer tarandus (subspecies granti)
Homo sapien (Our caribou Expert- Don Russell)

Did you know that scientists discovered a long time ago that they needed a universal language for talking about animals and plants? They created a system of naming called “taxonomy.” Taxonomy, a classification system that is now used throughout the scientific community looks complicated, but every living thing is classified using it. It is broken down into these categories:

  • kingdom
  • phylum (called, "division" with plants)
  • class
  • order
  • family
  • genus
  • species
  • subspecies

How is a caribou described in taxonomic terms? How does a caribou compare to a human being? How do you ever remember this list of names? Read on for the full story:

Meet the Team
We couldn’t offer this migration project without the help of many important people and organizations. Take a minute and meet some of them.
Mapping Skills: Are YOU Ready for the Migration?
You may want to use this lesson and tips to develop your mapping skills for tracking the caribou migration.
  • How to Map Satellite Telemetry Data
    This lesson includes charts with step-by-step instructions for pinpointing a caribou's latitude and longitude on a map. By putting a transparency on top of your map, a manatee's exact location can be more easily found.

Need a Map?

Teacher Tips: NEW Reading and Writing Connections AND Instructional Strategies for Lesson Planning
Reading Writing SelectionJourney North is offering NEW Reading and Writing Connections that utilize research-based instructional strategies to help students develop essential skills as they delve deeply into their understanding of the world through texts with real people, events, and issues.
How to Use Journey North Video Clips
We have a library full of new video clips to incorporate this year. Our video clips can be played only with Windows Media Player. Please read this "tips" page carefully.
How to Respond to Today's Challenge Questions:

IMPORTANT: Answer only ONE question in each e-mail message.

1. Address an e-mail message to: jn-challenge-caribou@learner.org
2. In the Subject Line of your message write: Challenge Question # 1 (or #2, or #3, or #4).
3. In the body of EACH message, give your answer to ONE of the questions above.

The Next Caribou Migration Update Will Be Posted on February 26, 2003.

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