2 BULLETIN 1089, U. S. DEPARTMENT 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 of 
which are closely similar to those of regions occupied by reindeer in 
Old World countries. In 1891, 10 animals were brought in from 
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. 3 ' 4 This most admirable 
project was carried through by the U. S. Bureau of Education on the 
initiative of Sheldon Jackson in order to provide a means of liveli- 
hood for the Eskimos in Alaska, whose former hunting resources were 
rapidly decreasing. The original, or " mother," herd was established 
at Teller, on Seward Peninsula. 
Conditions in Alaska proved so congenial to the reindeer that from 
the comparatively insignificant breeding stock imported the increase 
has been extraordinarily rapid. At the present time, a little more 
than 30 years after the first importation of 10 animals, without hav- 
ing complete accurate counts, the number of living reindeer in Alaska 
is variously estimated at from 130,000 to 250,000, with the actual 
number perhaps approximately 200,000. In addition, it is estimated 
that about 100,000 have been killed for food and clothing. Begun 
as an experiment, reindeer grazing in Alaska has amply proved its 
practicability and demonstrated its importance as one of the great 
future industries of the Territory. 
All of the original importations of reindeer were for the benefit 
of the Eskimos. In order to teach the natives the proper methods 
of caring for the herds, the Bureau of Education brought Laplander 
herders from northern Norway. A system of apprenticeship for 
Eskimos was established, through which, as they became practiced in 
herding, they would become individual owners of reindeer, under a 
restriction forbidding the sale of does. The Laplanders also were 
granted a certain part of the increase as their exclusive property in 
order to maintain their services and interest. 
For a long period no other white men owned any reindeer, but 
gradually the Laplanders have sold parts of their holdings, until at 
the present time one- fourth or more of all the reindeer in Alaska are 
under white ownership. One company at Nome is reputed to own 
herds totaling more than 25,000 animals. Through this white owner- 
ship definite efforts have been made during the last few years to place 
the industry on a commercial basis. Several small refrigerating 
plants have been established on the coast, and shipments of carcasses 
3 Jackson, Sheldon, Introduction of domesticated reindeer into Alaska : 1st to 16th 
Ann. Repts. of General Agent of Education in Alaska to Commissioner of Education, 
D. S. Dept. Int., 1890-1906 (1891-1908). 
4 Grosvenor, Gilbert H., Reindeer in Alaska ; Nat. Geogr. Mag., vol, 14, no. 4, pp. 128- 
149, April, 1903, 
