Reindeer and caribou Rangifer tarandus in the wild and under pastoralism

• Published in: Polar Record
• Main Author: Paine, Robert
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: Cambridge University Press (CUP) 1988
• Subjects: General Earth and Planetary Sciences; Ecology; Geography, Planning and Development; Arctic; Polar Record; Rangifer tarandus; Tundra
• Online Access: http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/s0032247400022324; https://www.cambridge.org/core/services/aop-cambridge-core/content/view/S0032247400022324

Abstract Reindeer and caribou, respectively Old World and New World forms of Rangifer tarandus , live in large groups in the boreal forest and on the Arctic tundra. Many stocks of reindeer are herded by pastoralists. This article reviews the ecology, breeding biology and herding behaviour of both forms, as revealed by recent field studies. It identifies breeding synchrony, dominance and leadership as important aspects of their social organization, mediated by a system of signals that keep the herds together, and discusses the significance of pastoral practices that maintain herd organization and make reindeer herding possible.