Palisadian., 1925-10-09

charge of the schools for the education of native
children in Alaska and Of the support and medical
relief of natives of Alaska; supervses the rein
deer industry in Alaska" The bureau of biological
survey of the Department of Agriculture "studies
the diseases to which fur bearers are subject In
captivity; Investigates Alaskan reindeer manage
ment, and administers federal laws relating :.
to Alaskan land furbearing animals"
Alaska has large herds of wild caribou. Rein
deer and caribou are practically the same ANIMAL
the reindeer being the domesticated caribou Rein
deer grazing in Norway, Sweden, Finland, Russia
and Siberia dates far back in history and Is OF
considerable economic importance.
Up to 1891 Alaska had reindeer That year
ten reindeer were brought In from eastern Siberia
and In 1892 were imported I'll. Total importations
of / 280 were made up to 1902. These importations
were made by the United States bureau Of educa-
ton on the initiative of Sheldon Jackson in order
to provide means of livelihood for the Eskimos,
whose hunting resources had been much decreased.
The original or mother" herd was established at
Teller. on Seward peninsula (see map).
Alaska conditions proved favorable to the
1880 imported animals that the increase has been
extraordinary Nobody to be able to fix
their numbers now but in 1922 the estimates were
between 100000 and 250,0O0 with estimate OF
100000 killed for food and clothing. Moreover the
Alaskan reindeer is much larger than the reindeer
of Norway.
Lapp herders were brought from Norway to in
of the increase. For long time the Eskimo and
Laplanders were the only owners of reindeer
Gradually the Laplanders have sold their holdings
Now one-fourth more of the reindeer under
white ownership. One company in Nome Is said to
more than 25,000. 1t is through this white
ownership that a beginning has been made to put
ting the industry a commercial basis Several
refrigeratng plants have been established. Ship
ments of carcasses have been to the United
States. The meat has been received with favor
and has brought good prices.
The reindeer herds of Alaska now number in
excess of 1OO widely distributed from Point Bar
row to the Aleutian islands. The map shows the
areas occupied by reindeer; areas suitable
for grazing and not yet occupied, and the main
range reserve for caribou The ownership by the
federal government and various missions has
practically terminated There are more than 15OO
Eskimo owners, whose herds range in size from
few head to 1000 animals. The growth of the
reindeer industry for the twenty years between
1902 and 1921 shows annual net increase of
about 27 per cent-33 per cent gross increase, TAX
ing into consideration the slaughtered stock The
average fawn crop between 80 and 60 per
cent the average proihcacy of reindeer Is 7O per
cent The fawns run about fifty-hfty as to SEX
The annual loss adults is about 65 per cent and
in fawns about 15 per cent.
Ownership in reindeer is commonly Indicated by
ear-markng Each owner has different ear-mark
and often each member of Eskimo family has
his individual mark. Bartering and trading of deer
among the natives is common that often the
ears are nearly cut away. Nevertheless, the faci-
ity with which an owner will pick out his deer Is
uncanny and there are surprisingly few disputes
as to ownership. Branding has been in disfavor
1t has to be very carefully done as the reindeer has
n thin and soft skin. In the cooperative system
If herding favored by the bureau of education
each herd will be under single brand, in which
the owner has percentage holding based on the
number of his does.
The Alaska reindeer is an interesting animal
Both bucks and does have horns-and big ones,
thereby differing from other members of the deer
family The head and legs are dark in color; the
neck and shoulders are graysh white, with darker
sides and hindquarters; the muzzle and
strips down the back of the hind legs white.
There are also spotted and white reindeer. The
white ones are inferior physically, but the Eskimo
breed them because they like spotted and white
skins for clothing; moreover the white animals
can be seen at a long distance in the summer and
are help in the herding. wegrown adult
stands about 13 hands high and is about 7 feet
from to tip of tail.
Reindeer flock together like sheep but Craze