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01/27/2009
Winter Tale: Caribou Freezes Solid in -80º Alaskan Weather?
Okay, I'm never complaining about the cold again. This caribou reportedly froze solid while standing up in northern Alaska. There's a little debate about whether this can actually happen.
Governor Sarah Palin soon came to collect it, but just for fun she shot it first.
Posted 10:30 AM EST by Andy Towle in Alaska, Nature, News | Permalink
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Haha! That Palin reference was hilarious! And sadly, probably true!
Posted by: jeffreychrist | Jan 27, 2009 10:30:21 AM
Not possible. Animal would collapse and die. Probably just Palin's hood ornament that fell off.
Posted by: northerner | Jan 27, 2009 10:40:59 AM
I would imagine it's possible, though it wouldn't happen instantly. Hypothermia would disorient the animal and slow it down--and if it stood in one place long enough, it could freeze to death and die standing up. The corpse would continue to freeze until it was frozen solid right through.
Posted by: David D. | Jan 27, 2009 10:41:41 AM
Global warming is freezing all of the caribou.
Posted by: paul c | Jan 27, 2009 10:41:59 AM
A climate change denier...? I thought they all fled when Bush left office.
Posted by: D.R.H. | Jan 27, 2009 11:17:40 AM
This is what happens if you look directly into Palin's eyes.
Posted by: patrick nyc | Jan 27, 2009 11:20:45 AM
it looks fake to me. the way its standing/posed makes me think its taxidermied.
Posted by: Matt | Jan 27, 2009 11:31:37 AM
"Officer Barbrady, I would like to declare SHENANIGANS!"
Posted by: soulbrotha | Jan 27, 2009 11:40:55 AM
I also call shenanigans
1- it is walking and unless the temp dropped to -80 in like less than 3 seconds there is no way it would be in a walking position as vs curling up to conserve warmth
2- Caribou are herd animals thus there would be an entire herd of them frozen solid and again the temp would have had to drop a tremendous amount super quickly
Shenanigans
Posted by: jimmyboyo | Jan 27, 2009 12:01:28 PM
C'mon, guys, didn't you ever see The Day After Tomorrow? This sort of instant super-freeze happens all the time.
Posted by: Glenn | Jan 27, 2009 12:11:54 PM
Alaskans have way too much time on their hands.
Posted by: Rick in Ohio | Jan 27, 2009 1:12:10 PM
yippee !! another chance for all the dickwads to make lame governor palin jokes ! sheesh.. give it a rest, guys.. it's embarrassing.
Posted by: el polacko | Jan 27, 2009 2:48:38 PM
AHAHAHA That Palin reference was fantastic!
Posted by: Dan Zam | Jan 27, 2009 3:50:05 PM
Julian Hirst?
Posted by: anon | Jan 27, 2009 5:28:11 PM
Global warming.
Posted by: Joe | Jan 27, 2009 10:23:25 PM
ANON, did you mean Damien?
Posted by: miaedu | Jan 27, 2009 11:01:05 PM
Staged or not, this picture made me sad. Toodle-oo, caribou.
Posted by: My Other Car's the Tardis | Jan 27, 2009 11:21:22 PM