There are many spectacular wildlife migrations that tourists travel across the globe to see: the great migration of wildebeest crossing the Serengeti and Masai Mara, the epic Nile migration of around six million antelope, and the monarch butterfly migration between the USA, Canada and Mexico are all famous examples.
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Perhaps lesser known but equally awe-inspiring is the migration of porcupine caribou from the Yukon in Canada to Alaska in the USA. As many as 200,000 animals can make this arduous journey.
“Each year, the herd travels across a vast range between the Yukon, Northwest Territories and Alaska, following routes that caribou have used for countless generations,” says Joseph Tetlichi, Chair of the Porcupine Caribou Management Board Tetlit Gwich'in, Whitehorse, Yukon. “At times, thousands – even tens of thousands – of caribou can gather and move together.”
The caribou’s movements are guided by the seasons. “In the spring, the caribou begin moving north from their wintering areas toward the coastal plain, where the cows give birth to their calves,” Tetlichi adds.
“Through the summer, they continue moving across their range in search of good feeding areas and relief from heat and insects.” In the autumn, they start returning to where they came from: their wintering grounds.
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Travellers may have the chance to see part of this epic migration in northern Yukon. “It is something you don’t forget – seeing caribou spread across the land and realising how far they have travelled and how much country they depend on,” he says.
Tourism Yukon has shared a video giving a glimpse of what wildlife watchers might see, particularly if they visit the Dempster Highway or Tombstone Territorial Park where the caribou are known to undertake their journey.
The footage shows the herd moving steadily across the landscape, grunting as they go. The scale is clear. As the camera pans around, more and more caribou trot in front of the camera.
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This migration also has cultural importance for local peoples. “For the Gwich’in and Inuvialuit, though, the porcupine caribou herd is much more than something amazing to see,” says Tetlichi. “Our people have depended on these caribou for generations. The herd has provided food and clothing, but it is also an important part of our culture, our traditions, and our strong connection to the land.”
He hopes that people who see the migration with their own eyes will understand the importance of protecting the caribou and the lands they cross in their annual migration.
“We want future generations to be able to experience what we have experienced,” he says, “and to continue that relationship with the caribou for generations to come.”
Top image credit: Tourism Yukon
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