A Wildlife Article from All-Creatures.org

Reindeer Population in Canada Gets U.S. Protection

From Center for Biological Diversity
December 2022

This population of barren-ground caribou — also known as reindeer — lives in the Canadian Arctic, so protecting it will restrict trade in these animals in the United States.

After the Center for Biological Diversity submitted comments and a survey, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service on Tuesday protected Dolphin and Union caribou as endangered under the Endangered Species Act. This population of barren-ground caribou — also known as reindeer — lives in the Canadian Arctic, so protecting it will restrict trade in these animals in the United States.

Dolphin and Union caribou are threatened primarily by climate change and hunting pressure; they have to cross sea ice to migrate from their wintering grounds to calving grounds on Victoria Island, and this year, tragically, several have fallen through the inadequate ice.

“It’s deeply saddening that our failure to address the climate crisis and other threats has caused these animals to suffer such a drastic decline,” said Dianne DuBois, a Center staff scientist. “But the Endangered Species Act will give these reindeer a much-needed lifeline.”

---

Return to Wildlife Articles
Read more at Legislation/Policy Articles