Re: [Paddlewise] Caribou/Reindeer

From: <nole4ever_at_aol.com>
Date: Fri, 24 Jul 2009 06:08:05 -0400
jim....

caribou and reindeer are not just "similar critters".... they actually are one in the same
the only difference being that caribou are running free in the wild....
reindeer are domisticated caribou raised in herds by people
steve

-----Original Message-----
From: Jim Meldrum <meldrum_at_northernlakescollege.ca>
To: PaddleWise_at_paddlewise.net
Sent: Mon, Jul 20, 2009 2:09 pm
Subject: [Paddlewise] Caribou/Reindeer



I will throw my opinions in here now. I live in northern Alberta, where
we do see caribou on an occasional basis.  I would agree that caribou
cannot swim at 6 or 9 knots except in the case, going downstream on the
Mackenzie, Yukon rivers or other major rivers.  Their probable normal
swimming speed would be a little less than 3 knots.

Caribou and Reindeer are similar critters in very similar ecosystems,
but the Reindeer is not in indigenous to north America.  Even though
there is a large reserve where Reindeer have been imported to the
Northwest Territories just a bit south and west of Tuktoyaktuk. Alaskans
raise them domestically for jerky, steak and sausages.

I did paddle a Caribou on the bow river downstream of Banff national
park at close to 9 knots.

Jim Meldrum
Slave Lake 
Alberta, Canada.
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Received on Fri Jul 24 2009 - 04:09:54 PDT

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