Caribou (Rangifer tarandus) are large members of the deer family found across the Arctic and subarctic regions of North America, Europe, and Asia. In Europe and Asia, the same species is known as reindeer. Wild caribou in North America are a distinct cultural and dietary tradition from the semi-domesticated reindeer herds of Scandinavia and Siberia.
Caribou meat has been a central food source for Indigenous peoples of northern Canada and Alaska for thousands of years. Nearly every part of the animal is used — muscle meat, organs, marrow, and tongue all feature in traditional foodways. The meat is lean and fine-grained, with a mild gamey flavour.
Caribou populations are managed by wildlife agencies and subject to hunting regulations that vary by region and herd status. Some herds have experienced significant population declines in recent decades due to habitat change and climate shifts, making sustainable harvest management an ongoing concern.
How it's produced
Caribou consumed as food in North America are almost exclusively wild-harvested through regulated hunting. Indigenous communities in Canada and Alaska hold subsistence hunting rights, and caribou remain a vital part of food security in remote northern communities where imported food is expensive and limited.
Hunting typically follows the seasonal migrations of caribou herds, with animals taken during autumn when they are in peak condition. The meat is butchered in the field or at camp and preserved by freezing, drying, or smoking. Commercial sale of wild caribou meat is restricted in most jurisdictions, so it rarely appears in conventional retail outside of northern communities.
What it costs the planet (per kilo)
≈ Estimated from its category — typical for other red meat, not measured for this item yet. Sources & methods →
What comes from this
Your household's take
One thumb per person, shared with your household — it steers what the wider-web shelf and the swap chips offer you. Tap again to take it back.
✎ Spotted something wrong? Suggest a correction
Checking who you are...