Question 1

True or false: All caribou populations are stable and not threatened by climate change.

Accepted Answer

False. Many herds are declining due to habitat loss, warming temperatures, and insect harassment linked to climate change.

Question 2

True or false: Caribou primarily eat grass and berries throughout the year.

Accepted Answer

False. Their winter diet is mostly lichen (reindeer moss), which they dig through snow to find. Grass and berries are summer foods.

Question 3

True or false: Both male and female caribou grow antlers, which is rare among deer species.

Accepted Answer

True. Unlike most deer, female caribou also grow antlers, shedding them after calving in spring.

Question 4

True or false: Caribou migrate shorter distances than any other land mammal.

Accepted Answer

False. Actually, caribou undertake one of the longest land migrations, up to 3,000 miles annually.

Question 5

True or false: Caribou and reindeer are the same species, with the name depending on location.

Accepted Answer

True. Both are Rangifer tarandus. In North America, wild ones are caribou; in Eurasia, domesticated ones are reindeer.

Question 6

True or false: Caribou hooves change shape seasonally to adapt to snow and soft tundra.

Accepted Answer

True. Their hooves shrink and harden in winter for digging through snow, and widen in summer for boggy ground.

Question 7

True or false: Caribou have a specialized nose that warms cold air before it reaches their lungs.

Accepted Answer

True. Caribou, also known as reindeer, have nasal passages with a complex structure that warms and humidifies cold incoming air, conserving heat and moisture. This adaptation is well-documented in Arctic mammals.

Question 8

True or false: Caribou can see ultraviolet light, a trait that helps them spot lichen and predators in snowy environments.

Accepted Answer

True. Their eyes detect UV light, which makes lichen appear dark against snow and helps reveal camouflaged predators.

Caribou Trivia Questions