Peary Caribou

A subspecies of caribou native to the High Arctic of Canada and Greenland, Peary caribou (Rangifer tarandus pearyi) exchange their silvery summer coats for white ones with the coming of winter. They are the only subspecies of caribou to undergo such a change. Other subspecies remain brown or gray year-round, though the shades may lighten slightly with the growth of their winter coats. Peary caribou are the smallest subspecies of caribou and, because of their morphological differences, were once considered a separate species.