The American Woodland Caribou by Natalie Varadi
How the Zoo helps
The Calgary Zoo helps the caribous because they research their niche and genetics. By researching their niche it helps them to know what the caribous do and where they live so that they can give them that habitat. By researching their genes it would help them to breed them better. This would also help them to not become inbred. They also help by doing field projects and educating the public. The zoo can get visitors to help by educating them. This can help the animals because people could make donations and get the visitors more involved. If the visitors are more involved and have more knowledge they may want to help even more.The zoo may decrease biodiversity because the animals may be to used to humans so they have adapted to them. The zoo can not release these animals into the wild because they would not survive. The animals would not know how to find their own food or stay away from predators because they have not been taught this. Usually an animal would learn this from a parent. Since the animals didn't learn from a parent the rely completely on their zoo keeper(s).
Humans Impact
Humans have impacted caribous because they are logging in the caribou's hbitat. By logging, they are cutting down they're taking away their habitat. They are removing large areas of trees so the caribous cant camoflauge very well either and they also have no home then.Humans also impact the caribous by mining and other industries like oil and gas. These also destroy their habitat. When humans remove the trees it attracts the wolves so then the caribous are hunted by them and their population decreases.
Species Definitions and the Caribou's risk level
Extirpated: A species has become extinct in at least one area but can be found in other area(s)
Endangered: A species whose numbers are so small it is at risk of becoming extinct or extirpated if extensive measures to protect it are not undertaken
Niche
The American Woodland caribou lives in small herds in North America. They usually reside in forests in British Columbia or Newfoundland. Their main job in the ecosystem is to keep the level of vegetation intact. Caribous are grazers so they eat grass,leaves, flowers and lichens. The caribous are hunted by wolves and caribou calves are often eaten by lynx. The American Woodland Caribou would probably have a broad niche because they can eat lots of vegetation and can live in diffferent elevations and places like forests or mountains.
Adaptations!
A structural adaptation that the American Woodland Caribou has is their hooves. The hooves of the American Woodland Caribou are like scoops so they can dig for food underneath the snow. This helps them compete for resources because it enables them to find food faster and easier than other organisms. Another structural adaptation that they have is their thick fur. Their thick fur makes it easier for them to live in colder climates. This would help them against other organisms because they would be able to stay in the same overall habitat.
A behavioural adaptation that the American Woodland Caribou has is that they migrate. They migrate to lower elevations in the winter and higher elevations in the summer. They do this because the conditions aren't as harsh in a lower elevation so it is easier for them to survive.
A behavioural adaptation that the American Woodland Caribou has is that they migrate. They migrate to lower elevations in the winter and higher elevations in the summer. They do this because the conditions aren't as harsh in a lower elevation so it is easier for them to survive.
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