Caribou Migration Update: May 21, 2003
Today's Report Includes:
The Race is On
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Caribou Migration Map
Click on Map to Enlarge |
The frontrunners (Lucky, Arnaq, Catherine, Helen, and Lynetta) are approaching
areas on the North Slope of the Yukon where calving has occurred some years,
although they are still about 200 kilometers (straight line distance) away
from the core calving area in Alaska. Lupine, Donner, and Tundra are further
back, south of the Porcupine River, with maybe 500 kilometers or more to
travel, depending on the route they take. Temperatures on the North Slope
remain cool, and many of the northern rivers are still frozen, which makes
traveling easier for the caribou.
Carmen...
You may have been one of the classes that noticed something unusual about
Carmen’s positions recorded on recent maps. She seemed content to
stay in same place for many weeks. Not too unusual if it there is abundant
food in the area. But when the migration came into full swing and Carmen
still wasn’t moving we knew there was something wrong.
Sadly enough, the biologists have confirmed that Carmen is most likely dead.
We know that death is a natural component in all living systems. Every
living thing has a place in the food chain. But we still wonder; was Carmen
weakened by the capture process? Did a wolf see this weakness and pursue
her? Or, was she simply the one in the group to be singled out that particular
day like Karsten described in his recent update from the migration trail:
“...a lone wolf that puts the chase on a herd across the open expanse
of the plain, a gray dot pursuing a group of animals that spreads like
a stain ahead of it, running full-out for 5 miles until finally the herd
splits and a yearling lags a few strides, falters, zigs one last time,
then is pulled to the ground.”
Journaling Questions
- Do you think it is a good idea to get “up close and personal”
with our research animals?
- Would it be better if we gave them numbers instead of names?
- Do you think it is important for children to become involved with
wild animal research knowing that death is a natural component in any
ecosystem?
Martin Kienzler wrote about the possibility of retrieving Carmen’s
collar for next year:
“We definitely will try to recover the collar, though I am not
sure when this will happen. Her collar is a long distance off the highway,
and at present, we aren’t planning a special trip to try and recover
it, as it will require the use of a helicopter. Rather, we will likely
wait until there is other work in the area, to try and reduce the cost.
The US Fish and Wildlife Service will begin flying a radio-telemetry
migration survey next week in a fixed wing plane, and though they probably
won’t be able to land there, they will track in on her collar
to see where it is lying.”
Click-clacking of Feet Along
the Migration Trail
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Catherine Tumberg
Gov't NWT |
Caribou feet carry them on a journey over 800 miles (1300 km) every year.
Uniquely designed, their feet can act like snowshoes, scoops or paddles
for swimming. Caribou are even named for their feet! The word “caribou”
is believed to come from the Micmac work “xalibu” which means
“pawer” or “shoveler.”
Although caribou are generally silent animals, they make a unique clicking
sound, sort of like castanets, when they walk.
Imagine finding yourself amongst a migrating herd of caribou: Can you imagine
the sounds you would hear?
Teacher Tip
Journey
North offers a Reading And Writing Connection
for this selection. This Connection features a lesson specifically designed
to provide opportunities for modeling, guided practice, and application
of reading strategies. The lessons incorporate the essential strategies
readers use before, during, and after reading.
Mileage Meter for Karsten
and Leanne
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View their
migration path on the map. (K&L are represented by the rabbit
symbol.)
Map courtesy of
PCH Collar Project |
Can Karsten and Leanne, our two
adventurers on their "Being Caribou" expedition keep up with
the caribou? This is a question many experts have wondered. During the
spring migration, caribou can travel huge distances without much rest.
You might say they are obsessed with reaching the coastal plain by early
June. Can a couple of 2-legged humans set their pace to meet the swift-footed
caribou? We have some statistics about Karsten and Leanne's mileage.
Date |
Miles Covered |
April 17-21 |
60.0 |
April 21-28 |
59.3 |
April 28-May 5 |
76.3 |
May 5-6 |
12.8 |
- How many miles total have they traveled from April 17 to May 6th?
- How many days is this?
- What is the average distance that they have covered each day?
How are they doing on this journey? Take a look at some of the most recent
photos they sent to share.
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Carrying skis! |
A typical day's ski |
Food-drop plane |
Flat land for food-drop |
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Karsten at the plane |
Narrow trail made by caribou |
Leanne making tea |
Caribou on a snowy slope |
Interested in keeping up with "Being Caribou?" You can visit
their Web site through November 2003:
Yukon River Ice-out: Winter’s
Goodbye
When the ice breaks up on the Yukon River, it is generally a time for celebrating
in Dawson City. Since the days of the riverboats, this event has signaled
the end of winter. Since 1896 people have held a lottery to guess the exact
minute that the ice will go out in front of Dawson. A tripod holding a bell
is placed on the river ice in front of the town. When shifting ice moves
the tripod and rings the bell, breakup is official.
Ice-out at the Yukon River at Dawson city was officially recorded this
year on April 30. The 100 year average for the Yukon River breakup in
Dawson is May 9.
What pattern do you see on the graph?
- Are temperatures stable across all 107 years?
- Are they increasing? Decreasing?
The average date of break-up (107 years of data) is May 9th with a one
month range between the earliest (April 29th) and latest date (May 28th).
- Why is it important to keep ice-out records?
- What kinds of things can we learn from them?
- How would animals and people be affected by the timing of ice-out?
Arctic Culture and Caribou:
Showing What You Learned this Season
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Chandalar in winter
Courtesy S. Kalinowski |
Although this is not the final caribou report for the season, the next few
reports will be migration updates with maps and data primarily. In this
report we would like you to take a quiz to show what you have learned this
year. Don't worry, it should be fun and make you think and maybe do some
further research for some through answers!
First, the questions, then when you have them answered (wait until you are
all finished!) you can link to the answer page. What
Did YOU Learn About Caribou?
True or False
1. Only caribou bulls (males) have antlers.
2. The Sierra Nevada Mountains are one of the mountain ranges found within
the Porcupine Caribou migration range.
3. The caribou's favorite winter foods are nuts and berries.
4. Native Gwitch'in people have always used plastic beads, scrapers and
spoons.
5. Karsten and Leanne, the "Being Caribou" team are migrating
with the herd. They are using snowmobiles for transportation.
6. Many native (aboriginal) people live off the land in the Arctic.
Explain your Answer
1. Why are the individual hairs in the caribou's fur hollow? (This is
an adaptation.)
2. There are no paved roads inside ANWR. Why?
3. Old Crow, Yukon Territory, a small town of 300 aboriginal people is
located at the confluence of the Crow and the Porcupine Rivers. If you
wanted to visit, how would you get there? (Think summer and winter.)
4. Trudy was not an old caribou when she died this spring. What are the
best guesses about how she died?
5. Can you walk across the Beaufort Sea in the winter? Why?
6. List some of the reasons caribou cows have adapted to having their
calves on the coastal plain?
7. Daylength has changed significantly in the Arctic since February. Use
this table to help:
Date |
Sunrise |
Sunset |
Hours of
Daylight |
02/04/03 |
10:18 |
16:50 |
you calculate |
05/20/03 |
2:47 |
23:51 |
you calculate |
Calculate how much daylight there was on Feb. 4. How many more hours of
light do they have May 20? How many hours have they gained?
Answers can be found here (don't peek until you're
done!):
Native Lore
"If you are lost on a sunny day, put a short stick upright in
the ground. Every few minutes as the sun travels across the sky, mark
the end of the shadow cast by the stick. The shortest shadow will indicate
north. If the day is cloudy, you may tell direction from the thickness
of the bark on the willow. On the south side the bark is thick and smooth;
on the north side it is thin with spiny projections. You may also check
direction by the depth of moss on a knoll; it is thickest on the north
side." From “Household
Hints from the Northern Cookbook.” Compiled by Bert Christensen
Year-end Evaluation: Please
Share Your Thoughts!
Please take a few minutes to share your suggestions and comments in our
Year-End Evaluation Form below. The information you provide at the end of
each year is the single most important tool used to guide our planning.
Thank You!
This is the last FULL Caribou Migration Update. Weekly data-only
updates into June will be published until the caribou have reached their
calving grounds. Thank you
for participating in the Porcupine Caribou Spring 2003 Migration!
Copyright 2003 Journey
North. All Rights Reserved.
Please send all questions, comments, and suggestions to our feedback form
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