2 BULLETIN 1089, U. S. DEPAETMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 



Attempts were begun about 30 years ago to establish reindeer in the 

 Territory of Alaska, the climate and vegetation of a large part oi 

 which are closely similar to those of regions occupied by reindeer ir 

 Old World countries. In 1891, 10 animals were brought in frori 

 eastern Siberia, and in 1892, 171 more, and these, with others intro 

 duced from the same source during subsequent years up to 1902 

 brought the total importations to 1,280.^' * This most admirabL 

 project was carried through by the IT. S. Bureau of Education on th( 

 initiative of Sheldon Jackson in order to provide a means of liveli 

 hood for the Eskimos in Alaska, whose former hunting resources weri 

 rapidly decreasing. The original, or " mother," herd was establishec 

 at Teller, on Seward Peninsula. 



Conditions in Alaska proved so congenial to the reindeer that fron 

 the comparatively insignificant breeding stock imported the increas 

 has been extraordinarily rapid. At the present time, a little mor 

 than 30 years after the first importation of 10 animals, without hav 

 ing complete accurate counts, the number of living reindeer in Alask 

 is variously estimated at from 130,000 to 250,000, with the actua 

 number perhaps approximately 200,000. In addition, it is estimate- 

 that about 100,000 have been killed for food and clothing. Begu; 

 as an experiment, reindeer grazing in Alaska has amply proved it 

 practicability and demonstrated its importance as one of the grea 

 future industries of the Territory. 



All of the original importations of reindeer were for the benef 

 of the Eskimos. In order to teach the natives the proper methoc 

 of caring for the herds, the Bureau of Education brought Laplande 

 herders from northern Norway. A system of apprenticeship fc 

 Eskimos was established, through which, as they became practiced i 

 herding, the}' would become individual owners of reindeer, under 

 restriction forbidding the sale of does. The Laplanders also we] 

 granted a certain part of the increase as their exclusive property i 

 order to maintain their services and interest. 



For a long period no other white men owned any reindeer, bi 

 gradually the Laplanders have sold parts of their holdings, until : 

 the present time one-fourth or more of all the reindeer in Alaska a: 

 under white ownership. One company at Nome is reputed to oy^ 

 herds totaling more than 25,000 animals. Through this white owne 

 ship definite efforts have been made during the last few years to pla' 

 the industry on a commercial basis. Several small refrigeratir 

 plants have been established on the coast, and shipments of carcass 



3 Jackson, Sheldon, Introduction of domesticated reindeer into Alaska: 1st to IC 

 Ann. Repts. of General Agent of Education in Alaska to Commissioner of Educatii, 

 TJ. S. Dept. Int., 1890-1906 (1891-1908). 



*Grosvenor, Gilbert H., Reindeer in Alaska; Nat. Geogr. Mag., vol. 14, no. 4, pp. 12- 

 149, April, 1903. 



