Reindeer herding is central to Sami culture in Scandinavia, but climate change and intensification are creating new welfare challenges for semi-wild reindeer populations.
Reindeer welfare is inseparable from the cultural and ecological systems in which these animals live. When climate conditions are favorable and migration routes intact, semi-wild reindeer live relatively natural lives. But climate disruption is increasing the frequency of extreme icing events, forcing emergency supplemental feeding that concentrates animals in ways that spread disease and cause crowding stress. Protecting reindeer welfare requires both climate action and support for traditional herding practices that maintain animal health through movement and natural forage access.