-3- 



in our £:roat northern Territor^'J 



As you recall, reindeer v/ere imported in comparatively small n'uiii'bers, 

 They increased remarlcably. Now they fom the "big livestock industry of 

 Alaska, and reindeer meat from those vast herds is found on the 'bill-of-fare 

 of hotels in oui' loading cities. 



•Eie idea in starting reindeer raising was somewhat the some as the 

 plan now to start musk-ox herding, tliat is, to get a native meat animal sauted 

 to Alaslcan conditions. I say 'native' meat animal, because the reindeer is 

 practically a native. It is a very close relative to the native Alaskan 

 cari-oou, and was known to he adapted to similar range, 



Alaska has vast yields of forage, V/ith the musk-ox industry the ex- 

 perts hope to make efficient use of parts of that tranendous supply of 

 forage, which can not he used "by the remarkable reindeer-raising business. 



The musk ox is not the only former game animal that may be domesticated. 

 Dr. Bell tells me still other parts of Alaslca's vast and varied ranges may be 

 used to support large numbers oi mountain sheep. Plans are already under 

 way to add rao-'ontain sheep to Alaska's growing livestock resources. Mountain 

 sheep h^ve liair, not wool. If . experiments are successful, they will be grown 

 in dctiestication for meat and hides. And, they do say, that mountain sheep 

 is one of the finest meats to be had anywhere. 



So you see, in its investigations of wild animal life, the U.S. Biolo- 

 gical Survey is working to meet the needs of the work-a-day world as well as 

 the needs of the sportsman and the lover of the wilds. 



AlILJOlijTC?^MTOTT; You have just listened to the report of a talk with Uncle 

 Sara's naturalists of the U.S. Biological Survey, This feature is presented onci 



every two weeks as part of Station and the United States Departr.ient of 



Agri cal ture ' s service to their radio audience. 



