This year, the Caribou have been in the news many times because of the declining herd size. Caribou are being threatened by man and oil exploration, by disease, by changing food sources, and by the constant surveillance by concerned scientists and wild life managers. This issue started about 2005, and has been growing. There are several articles a month that seem to show up for me. Then, I saw the CBC headline, below, and felt it was time to let Caribou be heard.
Canada’s caribou population disappearing at alarming rate
The National August 1, 2018 https://www.cbc.ca/player/play/1290397763647
For years, creatures of the North like caribou, polar bears, Arctic foxes, wolves, seals, whales, narwhales, and walrus have popped up on my radar because of some sort of connection that we have.
I wondered what the importance of Caribou was to me at the moment. I always thought of Caribou as another “Deer”. If that was the case, then I should simply be seeing Deer. So, what is the significance of Caribou and these articles?
Caribou are slowly becoming extinct. They represented a way of life for the Inuit for hundreds of years. The stats are showing huge drops in the number of Caribou, and yet, there is nothing about finding many skeletons of Caribou in one area, showing that a mass hunting of the animal took place or that some disease wiped them out.
What immediately came to mind is “the old ways are not required anymore – the animals do not have to sacrifice themselves”. That thought made me think of the Monarch Butterfly disappearing. Perhaps the Caribou is now attuning to the next realm or realms and is slowly leaving the planet through an open portal.
Caribou is also about getting ready for new adventures. Every year, Caribou migrates to new pastures, and this happens twice per year. So, Caribou showing up may be a signal for long and wonderful journeys that will completely transform life. Caribou is also about courage – the journeys take a month or so, and the Caribou must swim very cold rivers and seas. At times, all one can see are the head and antlers. The message – keep your head above water (emotions and challenges) and simply keep going. Caribou never turns back.
If Caribou is showing up in your life, take a look at what you need to let go of, and prepare for the transformational journey!
Walk in peace.
