Skip to main content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Climate Science Champions, Season 1: Heather Johnson, Research Wildlife Biologist (AD)

Right-click and save to download

Detailed Description

USGS Wildlife Research Biologist Heather Johnson uses collar-mounted video cameras to peer into the lives of climate-threatened caribou.

Caribou are an iconic species of Alaska’s Arctic landscapes. On the treeless tundra, herds of caribou numbering in the thousands are a dominant ecological presence, as well as an important source of food for Indigenous and rural communities in the Arctic. Migrating vast distances between their seasonal ranges, caribou are one of many Arctic species forced to adapt to climate-driven shifts in temperature, habitat, and food resources. A major hurdle to studying these animals is logistical: caribou range over vast, remote landscapes, making tracking them costly and even dangerous. In Alaska, USGS researchers are exploring a new tool to study the habits and movements of caribou: collar-mounted video cameras.  

 

Learn more about Heather Johnson’s work.

Details

Length:
00:02:05

Sources/Usage

Public Domain.

Video is Public Domain.

Music: “Changing Outlook” by Trevor Kowalski, “9th Power” by Henyao, used with permission from Epidemic Sound. 

Additional media courtesy of Lisa Hupp/U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and Sara Wolman/U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Additional media used with permission from Envato Elements.