This young caribou bull had a large wart on his forehead.

Cut in half, the lump turned out to be a mass of fibrous skin tissue.

In remote communities all across Alaska, far from the shopping malls so familiar to most Americans, villagers continue age-old traditions of subsisting on local animals and plants that they hunt and gather. Recently, a hunter from Arctic Village, just outside the boundary of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, had an unexpected surprise. He was stunned to see a large, red lump on the forehead of a caribou he shot. The villagers were concerned and curious—they knew it was unusual to find such a lump. The Christmas holidays were fast approaching, when villagers share their harvest with family and friends throughout the region. They worried that perhaps their Native food delicacies were tainted by disease or otherwise unhealthy to eat. To find answers, the hunter contacted the Arctic Refuge, wondering if staff there knew if the meat was safe. Purposes of the Arctic Refuge include preserving wildlife values, conserving caribou herds, and providing opportunities for subsistence uses, so Refuge biologists made arrangements to pay shipping for the caribou head to be flown the 300 roadless miles from Arctic Village to Fairbanks, and then delivered the package to the local Alaska Department of Fish and Game office. The veterinarian there was able to reassure villagers and Refuge staff that the caribou meat was safe to eat. She discovered that the large lump of fibrous material was a type of wart, 7 centimeters (2.5 inches) in diameter, confined to the skin of the one-to-two-year-old bull caribou. She explained that such warts are, fortunately, not transmittable to people. She also agreed with villagers that such warts are uncommon on caribou, saying the warts are “more common in moose than caribou. I get a couple from moose sent in per year, but from caribou about one every other year.” Arctic Refuge employees were glad to hear that this caribou wasn’t infected with a serious wildlife disease that would present problems for the caribou herds that reside in the Refuge. Arctic Village residents were pleased to know that their traditional foods continue to be a healthy choice. Caribou will remain a cherished component of their daily eating and their holiday celebrations.