Reindeer herding is central to indigenous cultures across Scandinavia, Russia, and Alaska — raising welfare questions around corral handling, transport, and climate-driven habitat change.
Reindeer welfare sits at the intersection of cultural practice, indigenous rights, and animal welfare science. Semi-domesticated reindeer have lower flight distances than wild caribou but still experience significant stress during corral handling, restraint, and transport. Climate change is undermining traditional herding by reducing lichen availability — a welfare and cultural crisis simultaneously. Welfare improvement must be developed with and for herding communities rather than imposed externally.