A group of caribou is called a herd.
Caribou, the North American name for reindeer, are famous for undertaking the longest land migration of any mammal on Earth, traveling in herds that can number in the tens of thousands across the Arctic tundra.
What Is a Group of Caribou Called?
The standard and only widely recorded term is a herd of caribou, fitting given how central group migration is to the species’ entire way of life.
Where Did the Name Come From?
“Herd” is the generic, centuries-old English term for grouped hoofed mammals, and it doesn’t carry any caribou-specific documented origin. What makes it notably fitting for caribou, though, is scale: unlike many species where “herd” describes a modest gathering, caribou herds are among the largest of any land mammal, making the plain, simple word feel almost like an understatement.
Caribou Facts
- Habitat: Caribou live across the Arctic and subarctic regions of North America, Greenland, and Scandinavia (where they’re called reindeer), favoring tundra and boreal forest.
- Social behavior: Extremely social and migratory, caribou form some of the largest herds of any land mammal, particularly during seasonal migrations between calving and wintering grounds.
- Diet: Primarily grazers, feeding on grasses, sedges, and especially lichen in winter, one of the few large mammals able to digest it efficiently.
- Lifespan: Wild caribou typically live 10-15 years.
- Distinctive: Caribou are the only deer species in which both males and females regularly grow antlers, and some herds migrate over 3,000 miles round trip each year.
Example Sentences
- A herd of caribou stretched to the horizon as they crossed the frozen river.
- Wildlife biologists tracked the herd of caribou using GPS collars during the spring migration.
Other Names for a Group of Caribou
“Herd” is the only widely recorded collective noun for caribou.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a group of caribou called?
A group of caribou is called a herd.
Are caribou and reindeer the same animal?
Yes, caribou is the North American name for the same species called reindeer in Europe and Asia.
How far do caribou migrate?
Some caribou herds migrate over 3,000 miles round trip each year, among the longest migrations of any land mammal.
Do female caribou grow antlers?
Yes, caribou are the only deer species in which both males and females commonly grow antlers.
Related: Collective Nouns for Mammals