Reindeer are herded by Indigenous communities across Scandinavia, Russia, and North America, with welfare issues related to herding methods and slaughter.
Reindeer herded using helicopters and snowmobiles experience extreme flight stress responses that cause cardiac events and injury. Long-distance transport to abattoirs subjects them to novel environments, rough handling, and temperature extremes. Climate change is causing ice crust formation that traps reindeer from reaching lichen, causing starvation. Traditional herding methods cause less stress than modern mechanized approaches.