Is reindeer husbandry equipped to handle the perfect storm? (EQUIP)

Northern regions are extensively affected by climate changes, parallel with rapid increase of all land uses where many are a remedy to the green transition.

Reindeer husbandry, practiced by indigenous Sámi reindeer herders, utilise this land as natural pastures to sustain their reindeer herds. Now, less predictable and extreme weather and increased anthropogenic land use reduce the available pastures. Successful conservation of predators has caused increased losses of reindeer to predation.

Furthermore, reindeer herders, have reported exceptionally high levels (40-70%) of calf mortality from August to November, which cannot be fully explained by predation.

Increased disturbance and degraded pastures lead to poorer body conditions and may increase susceptibility to infectious diseases, including climate-sensitive pathogens. These cumulative pressures may thus result in a "perfect storm" risking driving the herds towards collapse.

Good body condition, demographic stability, and genetic variability in a population may be a way to cope with increased pressures.The climate change thus requires a social-ecological system perspective operating on several spatial and temporal scales.

The aim of EQUIP is, in collaboration with reindeer herding communities, to monitor calf mortality and survival and address links to predation, parasites, infectious agents, competing land use and genetic variation, and to seek solutions to alleviate the negative pressures on reindeer husbandry.