Caribou Winter Migration
Riverview Park and Zoo
Our caribou are heading South!
We are saying goodbye to our two female caribou, Margaret and Marley this winter, as they relocate to live at Toronto Zoo, with their larger herd. A very exciting detail about their journey is that the caribou that live at Toronto Zoo are part of Margaret & Marley’s original herd! Although we are sad to see them leave Riverview Park and Zoo, this is the best option for them and will give them a much improved life amongst a larger herd of caribou. Caribou naturally live in very large groups so this will be optimal for their wellbeing.
We have explored every way to try and bring in new caribou and find solutions to keep them here at Riverview Park and Zoo, but have decided, with the guidance of our animal care specialists, that this is the best option for them. Toronto Zoo is an AZA accredited (Association of Zoos and Aquariums) facility, and we are so happy to be able to work with them to ensure that the caribou are giving the best enrichment and animal care opportunities.
Caribou are not strangers to migration, some herds can migrate as much as 1,500 miles throughout the year in the wild, that’s like travelling from Montreal to Winnipeg! Canadian caribou herds head north to the tundra habitat in the spring for calving season and venture south for breeding season in the fall. Females avoid bringing their calves to areas of high disturbance so it’s important we protect our northern ecosystems.
If you would like to learn more about caribou check out some of these excellent books, cozy winter nights are a perfect time to learn more about our Canadian species!
• Yuka’s Way Home by Abigail Roscoe:
Available online from www.caribouconservationalliance.org
• The Walrus and the Caribou written by Maika Harper:
Available from Take Cover Books
• Caribou Song by Tomson Highway & John Rombough:
Available from Take Cover Books
• My Caribou Migration Journey by Nancy Loewen & Paula Zorite: Available from Take Cover Books
Written by Dawn Pond, Riverview Park and Zoo
Illustration by Julli McMillan, local Peterborough Artist
