Reindeer herding by indigenous communities across Scandinavia and Russia supports millions of animals whose welfare is shaped by traditional practices and climate change.
Reindeer welfare is intertwined with indigenous cultural practices and rapidly changing Arctic conditions. Traditional extensive herding generally allows animals to express natural behaviours, but climate-related challenges including ice-locked pastures and longer migrations are increasing stress. Handling events such as ear-tagging, castration, and roundup represent acute welfare risks. Developing low-stress handling protocols that respect both animal welfare and cultural practices is an important ongoing challenge.