This project investigates the identity and history of caribou herds and domestic reindeer on Alaska's North Slope, with a focus on the Teshekpuk Lake caribou herd. Little is known about the Teshekpuk herd over the long-term, though local observers suggest that it may contain descendents of historic domestic reindeer while biologists have wondered whether the herd arose in the last century or has existed longer. Likewise, there is a need to understand the identity of the Teshekpuk herd in relation to other North Slope herds, so that management is based on sound knowledge of the population structure (or connectivity) of North Slope herds.

This project integrates methods from biology and the social sciences to address a set of interdisciplinary research questions:

• What is the genetic identity of the Teshekpuk herd relative to neighboring herds and domestic reindeer?
• To what extent does the genetic population structure of North Slope herds match the herd concept used for monitoring and management?
• How are North Slope caribou populations structured over space, and what geographic variables may be responsible?
• What historical factors (long-term fluctuations in herd size and range, interactions with reindeer, etc.) have influenced the ways in which Teshekpuk caribou are identified by biologists and caribou users?

We are addressing these questions through two main research activities:

1. Conducting a population genetic study of North Slope caribou herds, including domestic reindeer---we primarily analyze DNA samples from collared caribou so that geographic information can be factors into our analysis of genetic population structure.
2. Conducting a historical study of reindeer herding and reindeer-caribou interactions near Barrow, Alaska (in the current range of the Teshekpuk herd). This involves recording oral history interviews with elders, both former reindeer herders and long-time caribou hunters, as well as searching archives and published sources for historical information.