Rangifer tarandus caribou
A species of Rangifer Scientific name : Rangifer tarandus caribou Genus : Rangifer
Rangifer tarandus caribou, A species of Rangifer
Scientific name: Rangifer tarandus caribou
Genus: Rangifer
Content
Description General Info
Photo By silversea_starsong , used under CC-BY-NC-4.0 /Cropped and compressed from original 
Description
Rangifer tarandus caribou illustrates a quintessential example of an Arctic ungulate, adapted to thrive in the harsh climates of North America and Greenland. Their seasonal migration behavior is highly pronounced, traversing large distances in response to environmental changes. Their alimentary preferences are profound, skillfully employing a specialized, sensitive upper lip to forage on lichen, a key adaptation for survival in snow-covered landscapes.
General Info
Lifespan
10-15 years
Diet
Rangifer tarandus caribou's primary sustenance comprises lichen, a slow-growing plant food. Their dietary flexibility enables them to shift to a diet enriched with shrubs and grasses during warmer seasons, while lichen dominates their winter consumption.
Appearance
The Rangifer tarandus caribou, or rangifer tarandus caribou, is known for its large size, strong body, and dense fur that equips it for cold environments. They are primarily brown, with a distinctive white patch around the neck, and darker legs. Rangifer tarandus caribou possesses large, branching antlers, a feature shared by both males and females, though they are more prominent in males. Some subspecies also display significant size variation, with males typically larger than females.
Behavior
Rangifer tarandus caribou is a migratory animal, moving between seasonal ranges in response to variations in food availability. The species exhibits a gregarious behavior, often aggregating in large herds during migration periods, with social bonds maintained by vocal and tactile communication. Significantly, rangifer tarandus caribou signals territory by scraping the ground using antlers, thereby also aiding in attracting mates.
Scientific Classification
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