Growth and development of the barren-ground caribou. II. Postnatal growth rates

Abstract

The growth curves of minimum body weights of fast-growing caribou reared in captivity and slow-growing wild caribou are compared. Captive animals exhibit a cyclical pattern of growth characteristic of other cervid species. The differences in the declining growth constants of wild caribou compared to captive caribou are attributed to environmental factors and activity, resulting in higher maintenance costs.