A little-known fact about the Canadian 25 cent coin, is that the animal on the “tails” side is in fact not a moose, but a caribou! Caribou (also known as reindeer), are an integral part of Canadian indigenous heritage, as well as northern ecosystems. These members of the deer family were once one of Canada’s most widespread wildlife species. Today their numbers have significantly diminished, some herds by more than 90%. Climate change, increased habitat development, and poor land use planning have contributed greatly to the caribou’s steady decline. Most Arctic caribou are migratory, which poses challenges for habitat conservation when coupled with mining exploration and development.
