How does the animal behavior of migration contribute to reproduction success of the caribou?
The warmer climate helps young offspring survive
The long walk gives caribou alot of exercise
The male caribou migrate with the female caribou
The male caribou stay behind and are separated from the female caribou
The correct answer is: The male caribou migrate with the female caribou.
Migration plays a crucial role in the reproduction success of caribou because it allows male caribou to migrate alongside female caribou during their annual breeding season. This ensures that males are present when females come into estrus and are ready to mate. The migration also allows for increased encounters and interactions between males and females, facilitating successful mating. Thus, migration increases the chances of successful reproduction for caribou.
Migration in caribou contributes to their reproduction success in several ways:
1. Access to Food: Caribou migrate to areas with better food resources, such as nutrient-rich grazing lands or shrubs. This ensures that pregnant females and nursing mothers have access to high-quality food, which is crucial for their reproductive success.
2. Reduced Predation Risk on Calves: Migration helps caribou avoid areas with high predator densities, such as wolves or bears. By moving to more remote and less accessible areas, caribou can minimize the risk of predation on their young offspring. This increases the chances of survival for the calves, ultimately contributing to reproduction success.
3. Breeding Opportunities: Migration brings male caribou to the same areas as the female caribou. This allows for greater chances of mating and successful reproduction. The migration journey can also involve specific breeding grounds or rutting areas where males compete for access to females, ensuring successful reproduction.
4. Climate Regulation: Migration often occurs in response to changes in seasons and climate. In the case of caribou, they migrate to cooler regions during the summer to escape heat stress and insects, which can negatively affect reproductive success. By moving to cooler areas, the caribou ensure the survival of their young offspring in a more favorable environment.
It is important to note that while migration generally contributes to caribou's reproduction success, there can be variations based on different populations and environmental factors.
The animal behavior of migration in caribou contributes to their reproductive success in several ways. Let's break down each statement:
1. The warmer climate helps young offspring survive: This statement is partially correct. Caribou migration often takes place from their winter range to their summer range, where the climate is indeed warmer. The warmer climate can provide more favorable conditions for the growth of vegetation, which in turn provides abundant food resources for the caribou. This abundance of food helps the female caribou produce more milk and raise healthier young, increasing their chances of survival.
2. The long walk gives caribou a lot of exercise: This statement is not entirely accurate. While it is true that migration requires caribou to travel long distances, it is not primarily for exercise purposes. Caribou migrate in search of better food resources, as the availability of plants varies between seasons. Their need to find optimal feeding grounds drives them to move, rather than the desire for exercise.
3. The male caribou migrate with the female caribou: This statement is largely true. In most caribou populations, both male and female caribou participate in migration. They form large herds and journey together to their seasonal ranges. This migration pattern ensures that male and female caribou are together during the breeding season, increasing their chances of successful reproduction.
4. The male caribou stay behind and are separated from the female caribou: This statement is not accurate. Male caribou generally migrate along with the female caribou. The migration serves as an opportunity for males to participate in mating rituals and compete for mating opportunities with the females. Being together during migration allows for successful breeding and increases reproductive success.
To summarize, the migration behavior of caribou contributes to their reproductive success by providing access to abundant food resources, enabling the males and females to mate, and ensuring the survival of their offspring in more favorable climates.