PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • December 1, 2025
On Dec. 10, 1986, a harrowing 1,200-mile journey ended when 22 woodland caribou from Newfoundland stepped into a fenced enclosure at the University of Maine in Orono. Their arrival marked Maine’s second attempt to reestablish caribou. The first occurred in 1963 with the release of 23 Newfoundland caribou in Baxter State Park. By 1965, all 23 animals had died or migrated to Canada. The 1986 caribou project galvanized Mainers. Most favored reintroducing caribou because earlier generations had contributed to their demise. Between 1987 and 1989, the birth of 50 caribou calves in captivity represented a milestone. The first release, in April 1989, was in Baxter State Park. Half were killed by bears and the others died of brainworm. Great Northern Paper Company offered a release site near the park for the remaining 20 caribou. But most of those were dead by October 1990. A restored caribou herd would have been a remarkable achievement, but it would have been difficult for woodland caribou to survive. Climate change is affecting Maine’s snow regime. Caribou require deep, fluffy snow.