A large North American reindeer with branched antlers, known for seasonal migrations across Arctic tundra and taiga regions.
From French 'caribou,' borrowed from Mi'kmaq 'qalipu' meaning 'snow-shoveler' or 'pawer,' referring to the animal's behavior of pawing through snow to find food. The word entered English through French Canadian fur traders.
Caribou undertake one of the most spectacular migrations on Earth, traveling up to 3,000 miles annually in herds that can number in the hundreds of thousands. The Mi'kmaq name 'snow-shoveler' perfectly captures their survival strategy of using their hooves like shovels to uncover vegetation beneath Arctic snow.
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