[Dane]

The primary reason that the caribou prefer the 1002 area for calving is that it helps them avoid mosquitoes and bot flies.

And getting the oil out will affect this how? BTW if the area is so dry, how can there be mosquitoes?

[cogitator]

And getting the oil out will affect this how?

Calving success will be reduced. One page that I read indicated that a 5% reduction in calving would result in a decrease in the population of the herd. That's probably not a definitive statement, but the presumption is that oil development and drilling would cause the does to move elsewhere for calving, and reduce the calving "success rate".

As for mosquitoes, I've heard that they're the Alaska state bird. The coastal plain has meltwater and drainage ponds all over it in the summer -- presumably that's where the mosquitoes come from.