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Show Large Herd of Reindeer in Alaska to Supply Meat Ten thousand reindeer are to contribute con-tribute million and a half pounds of meat to Uncle Sam's dining tables. ta-bles. Reindeer breeding in Alaska has been so successful that on Nunivak island a herd of 200, released at the close of World War I, now is a hundred times as large. Since Nunivak Nuni-vak can pasture only 10,000 animals, the surplus will be butchered at roundup time next fall. Military and civilian menus from Alaska to Flori da will include this venison. This is the second time in half a century that reindeer have helped out in a food shortage, says the National Geographic society. By 1891, whalers had depleted the walrus, wal-rus, seal, and whale, the main source of food and clothing in the Arctic. The government stepped in to avert a famine. Sixteen reindeer were imported from Siberia to Teller Tel-ler on Seward peninrula Alaska's westernmost point. Laplanders were brought over from northern Scandinavia Scandi-navia to instruct natives in the care of the animals. Thus a major Arctic Arc-tic industry was born. Today, to some 15,000 Aleut, Eskimo, Eski-mo, and Indian natives of Alaska, reindeer are important as a source of food and clothing. The sinews are used as thread; adult hides become be-come sleeping bags; fawn skins, parkas and underwear. The antlers show up as knife handles. |