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You are here: Home / Animals / How did Caribou Get its Name and What does it Mean in Native Indian?

How did Caribou Get its Name and What does it Mean in Native Indian?

May 28, 2020 by Karen Hill

The name Caribou is believed to have come from its Micmac Indian name xalibu, “the one who paws,” hinting at the caribou’s trait of pawing in the snow for lichen.

caribou using antlers

Caribou is a term used in North America for wild reindeer.

Originally, the reindeer was found in Scandinavia, eastern Europe, Russia, and northern China.

Large populations of wild Caribou are still found in Norway, Siberia, Greenland, Alaska, and Canada.

Caribou have been herded, but not fully domesticated for centuries by many Arctic and Subarctic people including the Sami and the Nenets.

They are raised for their meat, hides, antlers and also for milk and transportation.

Related Facts

  • What is the Difference Between a Caribou and a Reindeer and How Do You Tell Them Apart?
  • Are caribou the same as reindeer and what is the difference?
  • How did Reindeer get their Name, Where do They Live, and What do Reindeer Eat?
  • How Many Wild Reindeer are Left in the World and How many Reindeer have been Domesticated?
  • What are the Names of Santa’s Eight Reindeer and Why is Donder called Donner in Chrismas Songs?
  • Who Were the First Explorers of Ancient Civilization?

Filed Under: Animals

About Karen Hill

Karen Hill is a freelance writer, editor, and columnist. Born in New York, her work has appeared in the Examiner, Yahoo News, Buzzfeed, among others.

Previous Post: « When did the Christmas Song “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer” become Part of the Christmas Tradition?
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