Meanwhile in Alaska…
The untamed wilderness of the Last Frontier needs to be experienced by everyone at least once in their life, if nothing else, to humble you. There is a unique kind of awe that you can only experience when you come face to face with the brute force of nature. Stand on top of mountain, in the middle of a dense, never-ending forest, on the shores of a roaring ocean… and just let God’s creation make you feel like a speck of existence… you’ll be better off for it.
And if you want premium wildlife encounters in the United States, look no further than Alaska.
Alaska is home to many of the United States’ most majestic animals, including bears, wolves, moose, orcas, and even caribou. Known as reindeer in Europe and Eurasia, caribou are large, hoofed mammals native to the Arctic, subarctic, tundra, and boreal forests of North America, Europe, Asia, and Greenland. Unlike other deer species, both males and females have antlers, as well as a thick, shaggy coat that changes color with the seasons. Caribou also have wider hooves than your average whitetail, designed to help them walk through snow.
Their range extends from Alaska and northern Canada to Scandinavia, Russia, and parts of Asia where they feed on various grasses, sedges, mosses, and shrubs. Like other deer species, caribou are highly social animals, often forming large herds who together undertake long migrations, moving between their wintering grounds and calving grounds, where they give birth to calves in the spring.
An Alaskan man near Fairbanks got to witness one of these large herds firsthand, when he came face to face with one on the road. Caribou are generally worried about being eaten by bears and wolves so their first instinct is to run away from danger, but this herd… straight towards it.
The man describes the scene:
“Upon seeing a large herd of Caribou on a remote dirt road in interior Alaska just outside of Fairbanks, Clinton Kerns slowed down to watch them travel off the road down to the riverbed. Instead, the herd turned 180° and all at once unexpectedly charged the vehicle. Extremely uncommon behavior for a normally cautious animal.
Once the herd separated, they regained formation back in front of the truck. They mosey around a bit and then moved on down the river to meet up with the rest of the herd.”
Check it out:
