The caribou, also known as the reindeer, is a species of deer native to the Arctic, Subarctic, tundra, boreal, and mountainous regions of northern Europe, Siberia, and North America. Caribou are not native to tropical areas like the Philippines.
Why are there no caribou in the Philippines?
There are no native populations of caribou in the Philippines because the climate and environment are not suitable for them. Caribou are adapted to live in cold, arctic climates. They have thick fur coats to survive frigid temperatures and large hooves that act like snowshoes in deep snow. The hot, tropical climate of the Philippines would cause heat stress for caribou. Caribou are also adapted to tundra vegetation, not tropical plants.
The Philippines has a tropical marine climate. Temperatures range from 21°C to 32°C year-round. The coolest months are January and February with average temperatures around 26°C. This climate is far too hot for caribou which begin to feel heat stress at temperatures above 14°C. They cannot sweat and must pant to cool off. Prolonged heat stress can lead to death.
The Philippines is also very humid, with relative humidity averaging around 77%. This humidity makes it even more difficult for caribou to thermoregulate and cool their bodies. Caribou thrive in dry arctic environments.
In terms of habitat, the Philippines is dominated by tropical rainforests, not the open tundra that caribou rely on. Tundra vegetation like lichens, grasses, sedges, and small shrubs are what caribou are adapted to grazing on. The dense tropical forests of the Philippines would not provide suitable foraging habitat.
Finally, there are no natural land connections between the arctic habitats of caribou and the tropical islands of the Philippines. Caribou would have no way to migrate such long distances over oceans to reach the Philippines. The thousands of islands that make up the Philippines are isolated from caribou populations by vast oceans and equatorial waters.
History of caribou introductions
While not native, there have been some attempts to introduce caribou to the Philippines in the past. In the 1970s, some private individuals imported a small number of reindeer to the Philippine Highland area in the northern portion of Luzon Island. Around 20 animals were brought in from Australia and New Zealand.
The goal was to create a new tourism attraction where visitors could see reindeer in a tropical setting. A breeding program was hoped to establish a stable herd. However, the experiment ultimately failed. The imported reindeer had high mortality rates due to the hot, humid climate and unfamiliar environment. They failed to thrive and reproduce, and the caribou eventually died out.
There was another unsuccessful attempt in 1987 to introduce reindeer on Mount Pulog in Benguet Province. Again, only a handful of animals were brought in, and they did not survive long in the unsuitable conditions.
While these novelty introductions generated brief interest, they demonstrated that caribou are not able to survive in the Philippine’s environment. More successful reindeer introductions have occurred in cooler climates like Alaska and Chile.
Closest wild caribou populations
The closest wild caribou populations to the Philippines live over 3,500 miles away on the eastern coast of Russia. The large Chukotka herd inhabits the remote tundra of Chukotka Autonomous Okrug in northeastern Siberia. This herd undertakes an immense annual migration spanning over 2,500 miles from their wintering grounds to their calving grounds each year.
Caribou from the Central Canadian Arctic herd in Nunavut, Canada may also wander within a few thousand miles of the Philippines during their migrations. But crossing the vast Pacific Ocean to reach the tropical islands would be impossible for them.
So while the Philippines is home to diverse wildlife adapted to tropical rainforests, there are no caribou roaming its islands. These cold-adapted animals remain restricted to the tundra and taiga environments of the far north.
Could caribou be introduced to the Philippines in the future?
While there have been small-scale introductions in the past, it is unlikely there will be any further attempts to bring caribou to the Philippines. The climate is simply unsuitable for these Arctic animals, as evidenced by previous failed reintroduction efforts. For any non-native species introduction, it is also important to consider:
- Animal welfare – Would introduced animals suffer from heat stress?
- Environmental impact – Could introduced animals negatively affect native flora and fauna?
- Disease risk – Could imported animals carry new diseases?
- Cost – Building facilities and maintaining an exotic herd is expensive.
- Public safety – Large animals like caribou can be a hazard if they escape captivity.
Due to all of these considerations, most wildlife experts would not recommend attempting to establish reindeer populations in a tropical country like the Philippines. From an animal welfare perspective, it would be unrealistic to provide an Arctic-like environment. And non-native species can disrupt ecosystems if they escape or reproduce in the wild. For these reasons, any future caribou introductions to the Philippines seem unlikely.
Unique deer species in the Philippines
While there are no caribou in the Philippines, the islands are home to several endemic species of tropical deer.
Philippine Spotted Deer
The Philippine spotted deer (Rusa alfredi) is a small tropical deer native to the Philippines. Adults reach about 33 lbs in weight. Their coat is reddish to gray-brown with white spots. Unlike caribou, these deer are adapted to tropical rainforests. They are found across the Philippines except for some Visayan Islands. They feed on grass, leaves, and fruit. The Philippine spotted deer is the national animal of the Philippines.
Philippine Mouse-deer
The Philippine mouse-deer or Pilandok (Tragulus nigricans) is the world’s smallest hoofed mammal. Adults are only about the size of a rabbit. They have a brownish-gray coat with white spots and stripes for camouflage. Unlike other deer, they have no antlers. Instead, male mouse-deer have elongated upper canine teeth used for defense. These tiny deer inhabit forests across the Philippines.
Calamian Deer
The Calamian deer (Axis calamianensis) is an endangered species found only in the Calamian Islands of the Philippines. They are overall lighter in color than the Philippine spotted deer. Adults weigh around 110 lbs. Deforestation and poaching have reduced their numbers to around 500 individuals restricted to just two islands. Several conservation breeding programs are underway to protect this rare, fragile population.
Unique caribou relatives in the Philippines
While caribou are limited to northern regions far from the Philippines, some of their close relatives can be found on the islands.
Water Buffalo
Water buffalo were domesticated from wild water buffalo (Bubalus species) native to Southeast Asia. They are distant relatives of caribou, both belonging to the subfamily Bovinae. Water buffalo have been used as beasts of burden in Philippine agriculture for over 300 years. Their milk, meat, horns, and hides are also utilized. Filipino water buffalo have thicker horns and darker skin than the river type water buffalo more common on the Asian mainland.
Tamaraw
The tamaraw (Bubalus mindorensis) is a rare dwarf buffalo native to the island of Mindoro in the Philippines. They are the smallest members of the Bovinae subfamily. Adults weigh around 300 lbs compared to caribou which can grow over 600 lbs in size. Tamaraw have dark gray coats and curved horns. They are critically endangered with less than 300 left in the wild due to habitat loss and hunting. Conservation programs aim to protect them.
Conclusion
In summary, caribou are large deer adapted to live in Arctic and subarctic climates. They are not native to the hot, tropical environment of the Philippines. While some caribou were briefly introduced to highland areas in the 1970s and 1980s, they failed to survive in the unsuitable conditions. The Philippines has its own unique tropical deer species as well as distant relatives of caribou like water buffalo and tamaraw. But true caribou remain restricted to cold northern regions far from the islands of the Philippines.