REINDEER IN ALASKA. 11 
these latter owners, white men have been able to become owners 
and to enter the industry. 
In the beginning it was no doubt necessary to exclude the white 
man from ownership in order to insure protection for the native, 
but since the latter is now well started in the reindeer industry and 
since there is sufficient room in the grazing areas for both the na- 
tives and white men, there appears to be no longer any reason why 
the white man should be excluded. As a matter of fact, white 
ownership of herds is now needed to assure the desirable economic 
development of the industry. This is particularly so, since at this 
stage there is great need for more capital and initiative to establish 
the means of transportation and marketing necessary to put the 
industry on a commercial basis. 
INCREASE OF HERDS. 
There are in Alaska about 100 herds of reindeer, widely distrib- 
uted from the north shore of the Alaska Peninsula to Point Barrow 
and from the shore of Bering Sea eastward into the interior above 
Ruby on the Yukon and to the vicinity of Flat on the upper Kus- 
kokwim River. Plans are in progress to establish a herd in Broad 
Pass, on the Alaska Railroad, during 1922. 
The growth of the reindeer industry in Alaska in the period of 20 
years from 1902 to 1921 shows an annual net increase of about 27 
per cent, or, taking into consideration the estimated number of stock 
slaughtered during that period, an annual gross increase of about 
33^ per cent. This rapid increase from the small beginning in 
1902 indicates a promising future. Swedish figures for reindeer 
place the herd profit, or net increase, in normal years at 25 per 
cent. 5 The average fawn crop in Alaska runs between 50 and 60 
per cent, although the average prolificacy of reindeer is indicated 
as about 70 per cent, with the highest percentage as 85 to 90. 
As a general rule, in the fawns the relative numbers of the two 
sexes are remarkably close, practically 50 per cent of each. These 
figures are of interest as indicating the possibilities in reindeer graz- 
ing. Under present management there is a wide margin of loss, 
but under improved methods this can be materially reduced. While 
the recorded losses in the herds are incomplete, in adult reindeer the 
annual average is about 6.5 per cent and' in fawns about 15 per cent. 
Losses in adults are largely attributed to diseases and parasites, in- 
jury in handling, predatory animals (including dogs), and stray- 
ing; losses in fawns are attributed to desertion by mothers, still- 
births, predatory animals, and parasitism. 
r " Guinchard, J., Historical and statistical handbook : Swedish Government, Industries, 
2d ed., Stockholm,, 1914. 
